Back to Evidence & Resource Library

Measuring what matters: Social drivers of health

R. Nuzum, C. Lewis, D.I. Chang
Commonwealth Fund Blog

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed long-standing racial and economic injustices embedded in our health care system. This has led to a renewed commitment to improve health equity and address the drivers of health (DoH) that account for 80 percent of health outcomes and have a disproportionate impact on communities of color. These include stable, affordable housing; healthy food; reliable income; and interpersonal safety, among others.

Advancing health equity and addressing DoH will require changing how and what we measure in health care. Measurement matters because it equips providers with data to identify and address unmet needs and allows policymakers and payers to account for DoH in payment models.

Nuzum R, Lewis C, Chang DI. Measuring What Matters: Social Drivers of Health. Commonwealth Fund Blog; November 2, 2021.  Available online.

View the Resource
Publication year
Resource type
Commentaries & Blogs