A complex combination of factors plays into the ability of individuals to be healthy. Yet, most studies focus on one-way relationships between a variety of determinants and health status. In this paper, I develop a structural equation modelling (SEM) strategy to estimate a multidimensional and dynamic model of health capability in people living in rural Senegal. The model analyzes interactions between three dimensions of health capability, specifically access to local healthcare services, participation in decision-making, and current self-reported health status, as well as interactions between these dimensions and other demographic, psychosocial and economic variables. In the rural area of Niakhar, access to healthcare is impeded in households with limited resources and in rural villages, whereas older age and household size are associated with lower health status. Additionally, decision-making ability is hindered in single, childless individuals, those living in agricultural households or in semi-urban villages. Moving away from the quantification of individual determinants of health also allows for the identification of vulnerable populations that accumulate vulnerabilities, specifically women permanent residents in the rural area, as well as factors contributing to overall optimal health capability, such as intrinsic motivation. These results suggest a need for a differentiated yet complementary set of policies in order to promote health capability for all. A SEM-based strategy therefore offers a way forward in analyzing determinants of health as complex, multidimensional, and interactive phenomena.