The Relationship between Crime and the Social Determinants of Health in South Carolina

• In Event: Exploring Social Determinants of Health Outcomes and Access to Care

Abstract

Social determinants of health have been widely studied as contributing to disparities in health outcomes. Much of this literature has been published in public health journals and is focused on health-related effects such as chronic diseases, injuries, and mortality. Yet, many the social determinants of health impact, and are impacted by, crime. This study uses data from South Carolina’s 46 counties to examine the interrelationships between social determinants of health and crime across time and place. The dataset used to analyze these models integrates violent crime data drawn from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division with measures of social determinants of health from the Social Carolina Department of Public Health, the U.S. Census, and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), measures of environmental hazards from the Department of Environmental Services, and measures of mortality from the Vital Statistics Department. The findings demonstrate the strong interconnected nature of crime and health, both of which can be addressed through policies aimed at improving social determinants of health.

Author

• Wendy Regoeczi, University of South Carolina