Communicating about the building blocks of health: five practical tips

Across the UK, people’s lives are being cut short because we don’t all have the same opportunities to live healthy lives.

Access to good-quality homes, education, and safe spaces in which to play, exercise and socialise all determine how long we’re likely to live – they are the building blocks of a healthy society. But they are often missing from the discussion about health. Instead, discussions and policies tend to focus on individual behaviour. This means the causes of ill health are not addressed, and health in the UK doesn’t improve.

This guide shares five practical tips to have better discussions about health. These conversations can highlight inequalities, improve understanding of the wider factors that shape our health and build support for change.