Our work promoting the social determinants of health is one way the APS has responded to its mission to advance the discipline and profession of psychology for the benefit of members and the communities they serve.
The APS endorsed the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) social determinants of health approach in 2012, acknowledging the social gradient in health and recognising the contribution of social determinants to unequal health outcomes.
The APS joined the Social Determinants of Health Alliance in 2013. The Alliance was established by organisations from health, social services and public policy to work with governments to reduce health inequities in Australia.
The APS has developed a resource to assist psychologists seeking to adopt an SDoH approach to their work with clients, and to expand their thinking about mental health to include how to help people keep it, not just how to get it back
The Professional Development in 2017 delivered a webinar series based on this work, which explored the value of examining the physical, economic, political, personal and social environments that affect people's everyday lives and wellbeing.