Social determinants of health in nursing education, research, and health policy.

The adoption of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the recent Institute of Medicine report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, have brought about a resurgence of interest in the social determinants of health as the basis for healthcare decisions in nursing education, research, and health policy. Nurses are positioned to be at the forefront of crucial healthcare reform to affect health outcomes and reduce health disparities profoundly. However, for nurses of the 21st century to improve the health of U.S. citizens and promote health equity effectively, we must first intently address the social determinants of health in our current nursing educational models, research agendas, and public health policies.