Identifying social prescribing core outcomes using a Delphi approach: findings and future directions

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Social Gerontology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Social prescribing is an expanding global health and social movement.
• There is a lack of consensus on critical outcomes for evaluating social prescribing interventions.
• Diverse user perspectives are needed to establish a core outcome set.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify a core set of critical outcomes for social prescribing evaluations.
• To gather feedback from various stakeholders, including service users and providers.
• To establish consensus on essential outcome measures for social prescribing.

Main Methods:

• A two-round Delphi online survey methodology was employed.
• Participants rated 21 potential outcomes on a 9-point scale.
• Canadian perspectives were prioritized, with subgroup analysis for older adults and their support networks.

Main Results:

• Seventy-four participants from 10 user groups completed Round 1, with 52 participants from eight user groups in Round 2 (70% retention).
• Seven outcomes met the
• critical
• threshold, focusing on mental health, physical functioning, social functioning, and overall wellbeing.
• No outcomes were excluded; participants also highlighted environmental and equity considerations.

Conclusions:

• Seven critical outcomes were identified for evaluating social prescribing research and interventions.
• Future research should explore contextual and personal factors influencing outcomes.
• The continuous process of outcome identification requires regular updates due to the evolving nature of social prescribing.