Related Experiment Videos
Social Determinants as a Preventive Service: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Methods Considerations for Research.
Alex H Krist1, Karina W Davidson2, Quyen Ngo-Metzger3
1Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|November 23, 2019
Summary
Research on social determinants of health is growing. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force needs more evidence on social risks before recommending universal screening or counseling in primary care.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
- Preventive Medicine
Background:
- Growing evidence highlights the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) on patient outcomes.
- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is evaluating the integration of social risk screening into clinical preventive services.
- Significant evidence gaps remain for many social risks, hindering universal screening recommendations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review SDOH relevant to the USPSTF.
- To outline USPSTF evidence evaluation methods for clinical preventive services.
- To identify evidence gaps for social risks to guide future research.
Main Methods:
- Review of SDOH pertinent to USPSTF.
- Application of USPSTF methods for evaluating evidence on social and clinical care integration.
- Analysis of evidence certainty, net benefit, harms, and applicability to populations and contexts.
Main Results:
- Identified key SDOH relevant for clinical consideration.
- Detailed the rigorous evidence evaluation framework used by the USPSTF.
- Highlighted specific evidence gaps for various social risks.
Conclusions:
- A research roadmap is proposed to generate high-quality evidence for future USPSTF recommendations.
- Emphasizes the need for robust research to support the integration of social needs care in primary care settings.
- Aims to inform evidence-based recommendations for addressing social risks in clinical practice.