Which of the following are determinants of health?

• A. Heredity, Environmental, Health Care Services, Behavior
• B. Diet, Exercise, Sleep, Stress
• C. Education, Income, Housing, Access to care
• D. Genetics, Biology, Public Policy, Culture

Answer: (A)

Determinants of health are the broad factors that shape health outcomes across a population, spanning biology, environment, health care, and personal behavior. The best option includes four primary domains: heredity (genetics) provides innate biological risk; the environment encompasses physical and social surroundings that influence exposure and opportunities; health care services access and quality affect prevention, early detection, and treatment; and behavior covers lifestyle choices that modify risk. Together, these four areas capture the key ways health is produced and maintained.

Other choices fall short because they either focus only on individual behaviors without considering biology or health systems, or they emphasize social determinants without including genetics or environment.