According to author Kaitlyn Bouchillon, “The first step to receiving an answer is being brave enough to ask a question.” For family physicians, screening for social determinants in practice can often feel like a test of bravery simply because the resources for their patients within their service community are woefully scarce or the practice is unaware of them.
However, for the medical community to have a significant and lasting impact on the health of their patients and communities, it must address the needs of patients outside the clinic walls, even if patient screening means asking one question at a time.
That is why the American Academy of Family Physicians’ (AAFP) EveryONE Project created tools that can be used by family physicians and their practice teams to screen their patients for social determinants of health (SDOH), identify community-based resources to help them, and work with patients to develop an action plan that encompasses social needs to help them overcome health risks and improve outcomes.
This comprehensive document titled “Social Determinants of Health Guide to Social Needs Screening Tool and Resources” outlines the importance of screening for SDOH and the rationale for the questions included in the screening forms.
The AAFP has also developed a long and short version of this toolkit than can be used in the clinical setting. The practical 11-question version addresses pressing social gaps such as housing and transportation while still asking relevant patient questions related to personal safety.
The EveryONE Project screening tools are available to download for free in seven different languages including English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Korean, Vietnamese, and Tagalog.
These tools are part of the AAFP’s EveryONE Project, a strategic initiative that is focused on providing members and their care partners with education and resources, advocating for health equity, promoting workforce diversity, and collaborating with other disciplines and organizations to advance health equity.
There ARE resources, more than any one family doctor could every know. Calling 2-1-1 on your phone connects you and your patients to resource specialists. Don’t be afraid to ask SDOH questions with 2-1-1 available to help. Satisfaction rate for callers in to United Way’s 211 (211oh.org) is extremely high! Check out their website too – and my upcoming article in OAFP’s quarterly magazine, The Ohio Family Physician.