Broadening the Focus: The Need to Address the Social Determinants of Health

Abstract

ditures rose by 5.7%. 2 Annual per capita medical care expenditures in the U.S. are higher than those in any other nation, and if current trends continue medical care costs in the U.S. will reach more than 19% of the Gross Domestic Product by 2019. Although recent reforms should help many Americans obtain and keep coverage, the costs of medical care and insurance remain out of reach for many households. These costs also affect employers, threatening the bottom line of many American businesses and deterring job creation. Medical care spending at the local, state, and federal level limits government investments in other crucial areas including infrastructure and education. The rising costs of providing care to aging baby-boomers and the growing number of obese Americans will further strain public and private budgets. Despite spending more on medical care than any other