Healthcare

Of course, one's health can often be a result of their choices. For instance, choosing to smoke cigarettes or use vaporizers may factor negatively in one's overall state of health. However, it is generally accepted that there are several environmental, social, historical, political and economic factors that can impact the health of individuals and communities, that are not matters of "choice".

These factors are referred to as environmental and social determinants of health. Environmental determinants include (but are not limited to):

• issues like air quality,
• water quality,
• and agriculture.

Whereas social determinants include (but are not limited to):

• employment,
• housing,
• education,
• food availability,
• access to health & social care.

All of these aspects impact the health of individuals in multiple ways. One thing to be sure, is that health is not just a sum of individual choices and often, factors that might impact a person's health might be largely out of their control.