The control factor: a neglected social determinant of health

Abstract

[Extract] About 10 years ago, the veteran social epidemiologist Leonard Syme coined the term "control factor" to describe the capacity of individuals to deal with the day-to-day challenges and stresses of life without becoming overwhelmed by them. Morbidity and mortality are affected by whether people have the knowledge, skills, and motivation to work their way round their troubles, irrespective of whether or not they are truly dire.