One Health

When I ask you to think about your health, what comes to mind? An image of your doctor standing in their white coat? Maybe the last time you had to go to the emergency room for an illness or injury? But did you know that 80% of what makes up your health has nothing to do with your doctor, their office, or hospitals? These factors are referred to as the Social Determinants of Health and include things like your income, the zip code you live in, and your habits like exercise and substance use.

If we think about extending the impact of the Social Determinants of Health beyond people and to their pets, there are some clear connections, particularly when it comes to socioeconomic factors and their physical environment.

• One study found that pet guardians with lower education levels were less likely to have taken their pet to the vet in the last 18 months. Education level often also dictates a person's ability to understand pet care instructions and impacts the income level they can achieve.
• The community you and your pet live in plays a role in so many things- access to parks, access to transportation, safety…

o   Many people use public transportation to shop for supplies or get to vet appointments, but not all communities have reliable options

o   Many low-income communities lack parks or green spaces where people can take their pets for exercise and enrichment

o   Studies have also found that neighborhoods with higher violent crime rates had a higher reported incidence of animal abuse, dangerous animals, and illegal dog fighting

Many human healthcare systems screen patients for Social Determinants of Health to try and understand what a person's unique needs and risk factors may be before they become a problem. Do you think we should consider screening pet families for social determinants as well?

References

1.      McDowall, S., Hazel, S. J., Chittleborough, C., Hamilton-Bruce, A., Stuckey, R., & Howell, T. J. (2023). The impact of the social determinants of human health on companion animal welfare. Animals : An Open Access Journal from MDPI, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13061113

2.      Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health. (n.d.). Social Determinants of Health. Noahhelps.Org. Retrieved March 1, 2025, from https://noahhelps.org/sdoh/

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Kaitlyn Davis
Research Associate
UTK Program for Pet Health Equity
TN
------------------------------

When I ask you to think about your health, what comes to mind? An image of your doctor standing in their white coat? Maybe the last time you had to go to the emergency room for an illness or injury? But did you know that 80% of what makes up your health has nothing to do with your doctor, their office, or hospitals? These factors are referred to as the Social Determinants of Health and include things like your income, the zip code you live in, and your habits like exercise and substance use.

If we think about extending the impact of the Social Determinants of Health beyond people and to their pets, there are some clear connections, particularly when it comes to socioeconomic factors and their physical environment.

• One study found that pet guardians with lower education levels were less likely to have taken their pet to the vet in the last 18 months. Education level often also dictates a person's ability to understand pet care instructions and impacts the income level they can achieve.
• The community you and your pet live in plays a role in so many things- access to parks, access to transportation, safety…

o   Many people use public transportation to shop for supplies or get to vet appointments, but not all communities have reliable options

o   Many low-income communities lack parks or green spaces where people can take their pets for exercise and enrichment

o   Studies have also found that neighborhoods with higher violent crime rates had a higher reported incidence of animal abuse, dangerous animals, and illegal dog fighting

Many human healthcare systems screen patients for Social Determinants of Health to try and understand what a person's unique needs and risk factors may be before they become a problem. Do you think we should consider screening pet families for social determinants as well?

References

1.      McDowall, S., Hazel, S. J., Chittleborough, C., Hamilton-Bruce, A., Stuckey, R., & Howell, T. J. (2023). The impact of the social determinants of human health on companion animal welfare. Animals : An Open Access Journal from MDPI, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13061113

2.      Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health. (n.d.). Social Determinants of Health. Noahhelps.Org. Retrieved March 1, 2025, from https://noahhelps.org/sdoh/

------------------------------
Kaitlyn Davis
Research Associate
UTK Program for Pet Health Equity
TN
------------------------------

Thank you so much for sharing this information!  I'm in the process of establishing a new nonprofit animal rescue in GA.  One of my big goals is to help "underserved communities" enjoy the luxury of having furry residents. I firmly believe there are huge opportunities if we just figure out how to overcome some of the basic challenges. 

I would LOVE to talk to you more about this topic. I can make almost any time convenient for you work!

When I ask you to think about your health, what comes to mind? An image of your doctor standing in their white coat? Maybe the last time you had to go to the emergency room for an illness or injury? But did you know that 80% of what makes up your health has nothing to do with your doctor, their office, or hospitals? These factors are referred to as the Social Determinants of Health and include things like your income, the zip code you live in, and your habits like exercise and substance use.

If we think about extending the impact of the Social Determinants of Health beyond people and to their pets, there are some clear connections, particularly when it comes to socioeconomic factors and their physical environment.

• One study found that pet guardians with lower education levels were less likely to have taken their pet to the vet in the last 18 months. Education level often also dictates a person's ability to understand pet care instructions and impacts the income level they can achieve.
• The community you and your pet live in plays a role in so many things- access to parks, access to transportation, safety…

o   Many people use public transportation to shop for supplies or get to vet appointments, but not all communities have reliable options

o   Many low-income communities lack parks or green spaces where people can take their pets for exercise and enrichment

o   Studies have also found that neighborhoods with higher violent crime rates had a higher reported incidence of animal abuse, dangerous animals, and illegal dog fighting

Many human healthcare systems screen patients for Social Determinants of Health to try and understand what a person's unique needs and risk factors may be before they become a problem. Do you think we should consider screening pet families for social determinants as well?

References

1.      McDowall, S., Hazel, S. J., Chittleborough, C., Hamilton-Bruce, A., Stuckey, R., & Howell, T. J. (2023). The impact of the social determinants of human health on companion animal welfare. Animals : An Open Access Journal from MDPI, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13061113

2.      Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health. (n.d.). Social Determinants of Health. Noahhelps.Org. Retrieved March 1, 2025, from https://noahhelps.org/sdoh/

------------------------------
Kaitlyn Davis
Research Associate
UTK Program for Pet Health Equity
TN
------------------------------