The wider determinants of health
The National Preventive Health Strategy (NPHS) acknowledges that in addition to the target areas of the strategies, there are broad contextual factors which influence health. These many factors, known as the ' wider determinants of health', may be risk or protective factors, and interact to influence the health of individuals and communities. Individuals may have limited or no control over many of these determinants. The National Obesity Strategy also acknowledges these wider determinants of health and the roles they play in influencing healthy weight and healthy living (Department of Health and Aged Care 2022).
The NPHS describes the wider determinants of health as the ‘causes of the causes’, and includes the social, environmental, structural, economic, cultural, biomedical, commercial and digital environments in which we live, work, play and age (Department of Health and Aged Care 2021).
Where to find more information on selected health determinants?
Understanding determinants of health
- What are determinants of health?
- Determinants of Health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
- Social determinants of health among culturally and linguistically diverse people in Australia
Broad features of society, including social cohesion, affluence, discrimination
- Australia's welfare 2023
- Measuring What Matters (The Treasury)
- What are the determinants of health?
Environmental factors
Socioeconomic characteristics
- Social determinants of health
- Australia's health 2020 data insights article 'Social determinants of health in Australia'
- Access to primary health care relative to need for Indigenous Australians
Health behaviours
- Alcohol consumption
- Diet
- Physical activity
- Sleep
- Tobacco and e-cigarettes
- Vaping and electronic cigarette use in Australia in 2022–2023
Psychological factors
Safety factors
- Family, domestic and sexual violence
- Health of people experiencing homelessness
- Health care safety and quality
Biological factors
Department of Health and Aged Care (2021a) National Preventive Health Strategy 2021-2030, Department of Health and Aged Care website, accessed 18 February 2023.
Department of Health and Aged Care (2022) National Obesity Strategy 2022–2032, Department of Health and Aged Care website, accessed 18 February 2023.