Department of Community Medicine, Phulo Jhano Medical college and Hospital, Dumka, Jharkhand, India

Biological susceptibility and medical treatment are not even a quarter of the factors that form health. The social, economic and environmental status plays a decisive role with regard to the way health is distributed among people. The said conditions are known as social determinants of health (SDH), which are a main factor in creating health inequities, namely, undue and preventable disparities in health among social groups. In India, social stratification and high rates of economic and demographic changes have created enduring health inequality and further widening of the same. This overview critically evaluates the idea of social determinants of health and defines the major areas of determinants and the mechanism of how they promote health inequity in the Indian context. It also examines the current policy responses, points out areas of weakness in implementation, and the necessity of multisectoral, equity-based approaches to public health. To achieve universal health coverage and sustainable health improvement in India, social determinants must be addressed.