IPPA WC 2023 Arts Engagement as a Social Determinant of Health: What is the Evidence? (#43)
The arts are increasingly being recognized for their value to mental health throughout the lifespan and at both the individual and collective levels. Across demographic groups, young people who engage regularly in the arts have higher levels of emotional and social wellbeing, lower rates of substance use and loneliness, and fewer behavioral problems. Older adults who do so are far less likely to be depressed and more likely to report good mental health and wellbeing. Despite strong evidence linking the arts to health, social gradients and disparities in who has access to the arts persist in many nations, limiting opportunities for better health for those individuals and groups. However, social prescribing systems that allow social, arts, and cultural activities to be prescribed instead of or alongside biomedical interventions are taking root around the world. With a focus on mental health, this presentation will explore the evidence linking the arts to health and how social prescribing systems and policy are recognizing arts engagement as a social determinant of health.
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