Determinants of Health

Determinants of health are factors or conditions that determine the health of groups of people. They are circumstances, behviours, and the biological, genetic and environmental factors that make people healthy or unhealthy.

The Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Children’s Charter of Rigths was used as a guide for the selection of indicators for the Report Card. Each of the indicators was framed according to determinants of health that are most relevant for children and their families, with a strong emphasis on social and economic determinants of health.

The Determinants of health included in this Report Card are:

• income and social status
• food security and housing
• healthy child development and “readiness to learn”
• education
• physical environment
• personal health, practices and coping skills
• social exclusion
• social support and services
• culture
• access to health care
• employment and working conditions