Approaches for Embedding Structural Competency and Social Determinants of Health in Pharmacy Curricula

There is emerging scholarship related to teaching social determinants of health (SDOH) in pharmacy education; however, challenges remain for pharmacy educators due to a lack of formal consensus on which aspects of SDOH should be taught or evaluated. SDOH is often confused with similar, overlapping concepts such as cultural competence, cultural humility, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; however, there are key differences. While all domains of SDOH are relevant to patient health outcomes, educators may find it challenging to determine which competencies are most essential for student pharmacists and most applicable to direct patient care in pharmacy practice. This article reviews literature from pharmacy and multiple health professions disciplines relating to teaching SDOH. The objective of this paper is to use this literature as support and leverage the expertise within the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Health Disparities and Cultural Competence Special Interest Group, to provide guidance to pharmacy programs aiming to meet accreditation requirements. The recommendations herein are evidence-based, with practical insights and recommendations from forward-thinking pharmacy educators.