Current Trends and Future Directions in Urban Social Prescribing

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Community Medicine

Background:

• Social prescribing (SP) is a non-medical approach connecting patients to community resources for health and well-being.
• It aims to integrate healthcare with community and voluntary sector support.
• SP models are evolving, with a new group-based approach for mental well-being identified.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current evidence on the effectiveness of social prescribing.
• To examine existing and emerging social prescribing models.
• To assess the global adoption and integration of social prescribing.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing social prescribing models.
• Analysis of referral schemes (direct and indirect).
• Identification of emerging group-based SP approaches.

Main Results:

• Social prescribing is gaining global traction, with over 31 countries implementing elements of SP.
• A fifth model, focusing on group-based activities for mental well-being, has been identified.
• Widespread optimism exists, but concerns about effectiveness and the need for robust evaluations persist.

Conclusions:

• Social prescribing shows promise in enhancing well-being by linking medical care with community resources.
• Further high-quality research is essential to solidify the evidence base for SP effectiveness.
• Continued development and evaluation of diverse SP models are crucial for its successful integration.