title: Social determinants effects from the Italian risk factor surveillance system PASSI.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To offer examples on how risk factor surveillance systems can help in providing useful information on social determinants effects and health inequalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Italian risk factor surveillance system (PASSI) collects monthly information from most of the Italian Local Health Units (over 85% of the Italian population is covered) on major health-related behaviours together with information on health practices, attitudes and opinions. Multivariate analysis of associations with possible indicators of social determinants collected by the system, offers important indications on the value that the system has in providing useful information on the effects of social determinants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Social determinants, although measured through very simple indicators, have major influence on health outcomes (in the example here, depression), geographical disparities in health (efficacy of smoking ban), and access to preventive services (pap test in our analysis).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Risk factor surveillance can offer valuable information for monitoring social determinants effects and inequalities, and, when considering data over time, for evaluating the gross impact of future interventions and policies aimed at reducing them.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome. valentina.minardi@iss.it
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Minardi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Campostrini
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carrozzi
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minelli
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salmaso
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology; D011634:Public Health; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult