Publications: The Commission

Key documents

Inequities are killing people on a "grand scale" reports WHO's Commission

"This ends the debate decisively. Health care is an important determinant of health. Lifestyles are important determinants of health. But... it is factors in the social environment that determine access to health services and influence lifestyle choices in the first place." Director-General Dr Margaret Chan, at the launch of the final report of the CSDH.

• The Report, Executive Summaries, backgrounders, stories and multimedia

Background documents

• A conceptual framework for action on the social determinants of health, 2007
  pdf, 1.23Mb
  This paper seeks to make explicit a shared understanding of the issues surrounding health equity, and thus orient the work of the CSDH with common, conceptual framework. A first draft of this paper was prepared for the May 2005 Cairo meeting of the CSDH.
• Social determinants, political contexts and civil society action, 2006
  pdf, 1.14Mb
  A historical perspective on the CSDH.
• Action on social determinants of health: learning from previous experiences, 2005
  pdf, 543kb
  Backround information prepared for the Commission on Social Determinants of Health.
• Who we are
  pdf, 747kb
  About the Commission: its goals, specific themes, country examples, civil society participation, knowledge networks, and the Commissioners.
• Who we are (French)
  pdf, 5.54Mb
• Who we are (Spanish)
  pdf, 5.51Mb