Abstract
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines the social determinants
of health (SDOH) as “the conditions in the environments where people are born, live,
learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a range of health, functioning, and
quality-of-life outcomes and risks,” which includes economic stability, access to
quality health care, and physical environment. There is increasing evidence that SDOH
have an impact in shaping a patient's access and recovery from surgery. This review
evaluates the role surgeons play in reducing these disparities.
Keywords
social determinants of health - perioperative - outcomes - surgery - advocacy
