Strategies for addressing social drivers of health at US trauma centers

The biopsychosocial model for providing holistic care after traumatic injury requires consideration of the social factors that influence health outcomes in addition to management of physical wounds. Social drivers of health (SDOH) such as interpersonal safety, food insecurity, housing instability, transportation needs, and utility needs comprise the five domains that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services now require hospitals to screen for. In this article, we will (1) describe the impact of SDOH on injuries and outcomes in trauma patients, (2) describe the value and importance of screening, and (3) provide examples of effective and impactful interventions trauma centers have or may use to improve SDOH in the communities they serve. Through collaboration and intentionality, screening for SDOH can occur at trauma centers, near and far, and serve as a critical step to integrating social care into trauma care.