Social Determinants of Health Innovation Hub

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Cleveland has the highest poverty rate among large U.S. cities. With more than 114,000 people living in poverty in 2019, these individuals face daily challenges related to violence, lack of digital connections, housing, food, access to medical care and behavioral health providers, unemployment, and so much more.

All of these economic and social conditions that influence health outcomes are known as social determinants of health (SDOH), and their impact is often under-represented in traditional medical diagnoses.

The Center for Health Affairs is convening community partners with the support of Amazon Web Services’s (AWS) cloud computing technology to create the Social Determinants of Health Innovation Hub, to address SDOH and their root causes.

Using data from local and global sources, the SDOH Hub is first addressing the behavioral health precursors to gun violence. It will then find solutions in areas that include:

• Environmental Health
• Access to Healthcare
• Maternal and Infant Deaths
• Digital Connectivity
• Education and Workforce Development
• Entrepreneurship
• Urban Development
• Housing
• Transportation

SDOH-drive disparities are rooted structural racism and poverty, and The Center is committed to finding solutions for these very complex social and economic issues. This requires accurate and insightful data. The Center for Health Affairs, along with local businesses, nonprofit organizations, government officials, community residents, and policymakers, are driving action informed by the data.