Social determinants of health (SDH) have substantial and broad impact on overall health, including cardiovascular health.
1 SDH and socioeconomic status (SES) are multi-dimensional, interrelated, and may be challenging to quantify simply. Useful and commonly used metrics include yearly family income, insurance status, educational attainment, and neighborhood characteristics, including education, income, and built environment.
2 The high cost of medical care may also place significant burden on patients, families, and communities.
3 The extent to which these factors correlate with and cause worse cardiovascular outcomes is of tremendous importance. …