IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING SOCIAL NEEDS IN PRIMARY CARE SETTINGS

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are widely recognized as having an important impact on health and
mortality,1 and there is now strong evidence of the benefits of addressing people’s unmet social needs.
For example, ensuring access to healthy foods and providing
supportive housing for people facing homelessness have been
found to lower healthcare utilization and costs.2 In addition, there
is emerging evidence that screening for and attempting to address
unmet needs within a primary care setting can improve patient
health.3 In response to this growing body of evidence, primary care
practices and health systems are increasingly integrating formal
screening for social needs into clinical care services.