Factors Associated With Patients Wanting Assistance With Their Social Risks

Screening and addressing social risks (e.g., finances, food, housing, and transportation) has increasingly been used to evaluate healthcare system performance and to set payment rates. The ability of health systems to intervene is limited by patients who endorse social risks but do not want help from their healthcare provider.

Data were from Kaiser Permanente's 2022 Social Needs Survey, a representative sample from all 8 regional markets. The primary exposures were respondents' demographics. The outcome was whether a patient wanted assistance with social risks assessed using weighted logistic regression modeling conducted in 2025.

This cross-sectional study sample included 5,905 respondents. Among them, 56.3% were women; mean age was 50.7 (±17.3) years, 9.0% were Black individuals, 26.3% were Hispanic individuals, 43.6% were White individuals, and 26.8% had an income <$50,000. Furthermore, 34.8% had at least 1 social risk, 9.9% had ≥3 social risks, and 31.7% wanted assistance. In fully adjusted models among respondents with social risks, those with multiple social risks versus 1 (2 social risks: OR=2.5, 95% CI=1.9, 3.4 and ≥3 social risks: OR=11.3, 95% CI=6.9, 18.4), self-identifying as Black versus White (OR=2.7, 95% CI=1.7, 4.3), or had an income <$50,000 (OR=1.9, 95% CI=1.4, 2.6) had higher odds of wanting assistance. Being aged <65 years was associated with lower odds of wanting assistance (OR=0.3, 95% CI=0.2, 0.6).

Less than half of the respondents with social risks wanted assistance from their healthcare team. These findings can help health plans and policymakers to target outreach and interventions for individuals who experience social risks.