Abstract: The health of populations is related to features of society and its social and economic organization. This crucial fact provides the basis for effective policy-making for improving population health. While there is, understandably, much concern regarding the appropriate provision and financing of health services as well as ensuring that the nature of the services provided is based on the best evidence of effectiveness, health is a matter that goes beyond the provision of health services. Policies pursued by many branches of government and by the private sector, both nationally and locally, exert a powerful influence on health — and this book shows the direction in which we should be going. Just as decisions about health services should be based on the best evidence available, so should policies related to the social determinants of health. The social determinants covered by the book include the impact of early life; the life course, the social gradient, and health; labour market disadvantage, unemployment, non-employment, and job insecurity; the psychosocial environment at work; transport; social support and social cohesion; the politics of food; poverty, social exclusion, and minorities; social patterning of individual behaviours; social determinants of ethnic/ racial inequalities; social determinants of health in older age; neighbourhoods, housing, and health; sexual behaviour and sexual health; and social vulnerability.

Keywords: life course, social gradient, labour market disadvantage, unemployment, social cohesion, social exclusion, social vulnerability, government, policy