November 9, 2023: Uninsured Rate Trends
In 2022, 26 million people — or 7.9 percent of the population – were uninsured. This was the lowest uninsured rate since 2017, reflecting a significant improvement in coverage due to policies such as Medicaid expansion and the Affordable Care Act.
Social determinants of health are conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that affect health risks and outcomes. The social determinants of health are shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources at global, national, and local levels.
These factors can include economic stability, education access and quality, healthcare access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context. Addressing these determinants is crucial for improving health equity and overall health outcomes.
- Economic Stability: Income, employment, expenses, debt, medical bills.
- Education Access and Quality: Literacy, language, early childhood education, vocational training.
- Healthcare Access and Quality: Health insurance coverage, access to primary care, health literacy.
- Neighborhood and Built Environment: Housing quality, transportation, access to healthy foods, environmental conditions.
- Social and Community Context: Social cohesion, discrimination, civic participation, incarceration.
Addressing social determinants of health is essential for reducing health disparities and improving health outcomes for all.
