Applying an equity lens to social prescribing

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Health Equity

Background:

• Social prescribing (SP) is proposed as a strategy to reduce health inequalities.
• Existing evidence on SP's impact on health inequalities is limited.
• Feasibility of analyzing SP user data to demonstrate impact on health inequalities requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of accessing and analyzing social prescribing service user data.
• To demonstrate the potential impact of social prescribing on health inequalities.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive analyses of service user records from two sites (Site 1: 276 individuals, Site 2: 1644 individuals).
• Assessment of data consistency and completeness, including demographic data, referral sources, and health outcomes.
• Evaluation of data availability on wider determinants of health.

Main Results:

• Both sites collected basic demographic data (age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation).
• Inconsistent data collection was observed, with issues in ethnicity recording (Site 2) and missing referral source and outcome data (both sites).
• Limited data on wider determinants of health precluded a full exploration of SP's impact on health inequalities.

Conclusions:

• Essential to enhance SP data collection to include user demographics and wider determinants of health (e.g., PROGRESS Plus factors).
• Focusing on equity in SP access and outcomes is vital for demonstrating impact on health inequalities.
• Improved data collection is necessary to ensure equitable service delivery and evidence the role of SP in reducing health disparities.