Clinician Attitudes and Experiences in Screening Patients for Social Determinants of Health Using PRAPARE

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. SDOH significantly influence health outcomes; as such, healthcare systems should screen for patients' social needs. PRAPARE is standardized screening tool designed to assess and address patients' social needs.

This study examines SDOH screening at Valley Health Systems, a federally qualified health center based in Huntington, West Virginia. The aim of this research is to assess clinician attitudes and experiences in using the PRAPARE tool to screen for SDOH.

A self-administered online survey was conducted from April to May 2022 among Valley Health Systems clinicians. The survey focused on SDOH screening frequency, clinician attitudes, barriers to screening, and PRAPARE tool usage. Survey questions were adapted from previously published instrument.

Among the 36 clinicians (response rate: 24.0%) who participated, 55.6% sometimes, rarely, or never asked about patient social needs and 47.2% sometimes, rarely, or never reviewed patient charts for social needs information. Common barriers to screening included patient discomfort (38.9%), lack of referral systems (30.6%), and time constraints (27.8%). Although only 30.6% used the PRAPARE tool, those who did found it easy to use (81.8%) and helpful in identifying social needs (81.8%). However, 63.6% felt inadequately trained in using the tool.

Similar to national trends, some clinicians at Valley Health Systems are overall supportive of SDOH screening. However, they face many common barriers to screening despite integration of PRAPARE. The results of this study provide valuable insights for those navigating the complexities of implementing SDOH screening tools and sustaining use within clinical settings.