Moving Toward Health Equity by Addressing Social Determinants of Health.

Social determinants of health-the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age that affect health and quality of life-are strongly associated with disparities in health status and life expectancy. Nurses require a comprehensive understanding of social determinants and their associations with health outcomes to provide patient-centered care. Nurses can be leaders and change agents in advancing health equity by screening for social determinants that affect women and by engaging in cross-sector collaboration to build partnerships outside the health care system to address complex social needs. Nurses can also use their experience and knowledge to advocate for system-level change, which is required to address the upstream factors influencing the health of women.