• Social determinants of health, such as poverty, discrimination, and lack of access to education and jobs, contribute significantly to health inequities globally.
• A 33-year gap exists in life expectancy between countries with the highest and lowest life expectancies due to these social factors.
• The WHO calls for governments to invest in universal public services and address structural discrimination to reduce health inequities and improve global health outcomes.

A World Health Organization (WHO) report released on May 6, 2025, reveals significant health inequities worldwide, driven by social determinants such as poverty, inadequate housing, lack of education, and limited job opportunities. The report highlights that these factors have a more substantial impact on health outcomes than genetics or access to healthcare. The study points to a dramatic 33-year gap in life expectancy between countries with the highest and lowest averages, emphasizing that where someone is born, grows, lives, works, and ages significantly influences their health and well-being. The WHO urges collective action to address economic inequality, structural discrimination, and insufficient investment in social infrastructure and universal public services.

• What: A WHO report reveals that social determinants of health, such as poverty, discrimination, and lack of access to education and jobs, significantly impact life expectancy and health outcomes globally.
• Who: The World Health Organization (WHO), national and local governments, healthcare professionals, researchers, civil society organizations, and the private sector are key stakeholders.
• When: The report was released on May 6, 2025, with data analyzed from 2000-2023 and comparisons to a 2008 WHO report.
• Where: The findings are global, with specific examples from various countries highlighting disparities in life expectancy based on social and economic conditions.

The WHO report's findings underscore the critical role of social determinants in shaping health outcomes. The significant gap in life expectancy highlights the profound impact of poverty, discrimination, and lack of access to essential services on people's health and well-being. The report serves as a call to action for governments and organizations to address these systemic inequities through investments in social infrastructure, universal public services, and policies that promote social justice and equality. The potential for saving millions of children's lives by closing the equity gap demonstrates the urgency and importance of addressing these issues. Failing to meet the 2040 targets indicates that current efforts are insufficient and require a more comprehensive and coordinated approach.

Our world is an unequal one. Where we are born, grow, live, work and age significantly influences our health and well-being.

Health inequity is not an accident; it stems from how society allocates resources and opportunities.

The WHO report presents compelling evidence of the profound impact of social determinants on health equity globally. The 33-year gap in life expectancy underscores the urgent need for comprehensive action to address economic inequality, structural discrimination, and inadequate investment in social infrastructure. The report's recommendations for collective action, including investing in universal public services and promoting governance arrangements that prioritize health equity, provide a roadmap for improving health outcomes for all. While progress has been made in areas such as maternal mortality, the report makes it clear that much more needs to be done to achieve health equity and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy and fulfilling life.