Social determinants of health and the Affordable Care Act

Healthy living is mainly seen as a product of good genetics and holistic healthcare in the United States, but a growing field of research is also attributing well-being to social determinants of health (SDH), which are the compounded effects that arise from the concentration or lack of social capital. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted to promote the overall health of the country and its clauses are calling to attention the health disparities that come from social inequalities, the main sources for SDH. The ACA acknowledges that SDH affects marginalized communities in different ways, and to mitigate their effects, it localizes funding in hopes of empowering individuals and communities, but there is no integrated, multi-prong system for addressing SDH.