The social determinants of health: what are the three key roles for health promotion?

Type of political economy determines societal receptiveness to the concept and policy implications raised by a social determinants of health approach. Consider the difficulties health promoters experience having these issues addressed in liberal nations governed by neoliberal governments. This is not a problem of evidence, it is a problem of political will. Such an analysis suggests that there are three key roles that health promoters should play in addition to their day-to-day efforts to promote healthy public policy in each and every area influenced bythe social determinants of health. These three roles are education, motivation and activation in support of the social determinants of health. These roles are about building the political supports by which public policy in support of the social determinants of health can be implemented. (non-author abstract)