Por Nuestros Ojos: understanding social determinants of health through the eyes of youth.

Background: Understanding the social determinants underlying health disparities benefits from a mixed-methods, participatory research approach.

Objectives: Photovoice was used in a research project seeking to identify and validate existing data and models used to address socio-spatial determinants of health in at-risk neighborhoods.

Methods: High-risk neighborhoods were identified using geospatial models of pre-identified social determinants of health.

A trans-disciplinary approach to the evaluation of social determinants of health in a Hispanic population.

Background: Individual and community health are adversely impacted by disparities in health outcomes among disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. Understanding the underlying causes for variations in health outcomes is an essential step towards developing effective interventions to ameliorate inequalities and subsequently improve overall community health. Working at the neighborhood scale, this study examines multiple social determinates that can cause health disparities including low neighborhood wealth, weak social networks, inadequate public infrastructure, the presence of hazardous materials in or near a neighborhood, and the lack of access to primary care services.