An occupational medicine physician based in Dallas, Texas, Melissa Tonn, MD, serves as the president and chief medical officer of OccMD Group, P.A. A fellow of the International Academy of Independent Medical Evaluators, Dallas-based medical benefits manager Dr. Melissa Tonn has an interest in studying the social determinants of health.
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are unfavorable social, economic, and physical conditions, such as living in poverty, that have significant impacts on people’s health, productivity, and quality of life. There are five categories of SDOH, which are economic stability, education, social and community context, health and health care, and neighborhood and built environment, according to "Healthy People 2020," published by the federal Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
To mitigate the effects of negative SDOH, community leaders should fund programs that improve public health outcomes and overall quality of life. According to Healthy People 2020, necessary steps to improve community health include providing safe and affordable housing, equal access to quality education, easy access to healthy foods, and living, working, and learning environments that are free of toxins and other health hazards.
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are unfavorable social, economic, and physical conditions, such as living in poverty, that have significant impacts on people’s health, productivity, and quality of life. There are five categories of SDOH, which are economic stability, education, social and community context, health and health care, and neighborhood and built environment, according to "Healthy People 2020," published by the federal Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
To mitigate the effects of negative SDOH, community leaders should fund programs that improve public health outcomes and overall quality of life. According to Healthy People 2020, necessary steps to improve community health include providing safe and affordable housing, equal access to quality education, easy access to healthy foods, and living, working, and learning environments that are free of toxins and other health hazards.
