# Growing interest and action on the structural determinants of health
This environmental scan was conducted in response to growing interest in the structural determinants of health. Using a tailored, multicomponent scanning approach, the NCCDH found that the Canadian public health community is working within the context of multiple barriers. These include knowledge and skills gaps, funding and staff shortages, and an overall deprioritization of work to advance health equity for all. Despite these barriers, meaningful action is taking place.
# A different kind of health equity
When the NCCDH first began conducting environmental scans 15 years ago, conversations about health equity and health equity action were different.
Participants are now discussing histories of oppression, power relationships, and the interconnections between human and planetary health. Because participants are viewing the factors that influence health inequities with an intersectional, structural analysis, they are calling for a different kind of health equity action.
# Mobilizing action on the structural determinants of health
This scan makes three interrelated recommendations for the public health community to mobilize action on the structural determinants of health:
- Develop critical praxis: This involves critically reflecting on the intersecting and underlying drivers of health inequities and practising public health differently as a result.
- Invest in five key action areas to support action on the structural determinants of health: Clarify values, concepts, knowledges and actions; do what you can, with what you have, from where you are; be in relationship and in community; advocate and lead for necessary change; and work together to share evidence, stories and solutions.
- Accelerate the implementation of three existing NCCDH frameworks to advance health equity: These frameworks are focused at the individual, organizational and/or system levels — public health roles for improving health equity (2013), common agenda for public health action on health equity (2016) and practice framework for building organizational capacity for health equity (2020).
# Use this resource to
- Learn about current public health experiences, actions and challenges related to addressing structural and social determinants of health
- Reflect on five key areas for mobilizing action on the structural determinants of health
- Analyze opportunities for you and your team to advance your change efforts (see Section 8.0 for a series of discussion prompts)