Health Management in Commercially Insured Populations: It Is Time to Include Social Determinants of Health.

Abstract

: Employers have been challenged by low employee participation rates in health-related programs, and have often relied on incentives and other engagement approaches to overcome this difficulty. One of the apparent barriers to employee engagement in health-related activities is represented by social determinants of health. According to some, these factors comprise as much as 40% of an individual's health status, and while they have been the focus of attention in the public health domain, their role in the workplace has not been broadly recognized. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of the significance of social determinants of health in the workplace, addressing their influence on employee involvement in health-related offerings. We also acknowledge the unique role of the workplace as both a physical and social determinant of worker health.