Social Determinants of Health in School Success: A Case Study Approach
Social Determinants in School Success
Healthy lifestyle behaviors—sleep, nutrition, and physical activity play a powerful and often overlooked role in shaping students’ academic achievement. They are shaped by the social determinants of health: the economic, environmental, and community conditions that influence how children live, learn, and grow.
This project uses a case study approach to show how everyday factors such as access to healthy food, stable housing, safe neighborhoods, and opportunities for physical activity create real disparities in school performance. By examining two families living in different parts of the Rochester area, this website highlights how health behaviors and academic outcomes are deeply interconnected.
My goal is to help readers better understand why some students thrive while others struggle, not because of motivation or ability, but because of the conditions that shape their daily lives. Through these stories, I hope to spark reflection, raise awareness, and contribute to ongoing conversations about educational equity and student well-being.
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What Shapes Student Health?
Click on the icon to the left to learn more about social determinants of health
Click on the image to the right to read academic research on stress its effects on learning and behavior
Click on the image to the left to read a study representing the very real impact of healthy lifestyle behaviors on educational achievement
Click the icon to the right to learn about the role of health and education systems in educational achievement and health
