Social Determinants of Health: Improving Population Health through Prevention Based Care - Module 4

Social Determinants of Health: Improving Population Health through Prevention Based Care - Module 4 is organized by Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS).

Original Release Date: January 28, 2018
Termination Date: January 28, 2021

Accreditation:
AMA Credit Designation Statement
The Massachusetts Medical Society designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

National Commission on Certification of Physicians Assistant (NCCPA)
Physician Assistans may claim a maximum of 1.00 Category 1 credits for completing this activity.

Description:
An individuals social, physical and economic circumstances are strongly linked to his/her health. These social realities mean a lack of nutritious food, unhealthy housing conditions, substandard education, exposure to violence or discrimination - all of which have a negative impact on health  that results in higher rates of acute and chronic disease, mental illness and substance use.  Physicians often look only to treat the patients complaint or disease and do not consider social determinants when treating patients and families.

Not recognizing the impact of social determinants on health (SDH) contributes  to the risk of perpetuating a cycle of inequity, disparity, and inequality in health care.  Educating health professionals about the social determinants of health will generate more awareness of the potential root causes of ill health and the importance of addressing them in and with communities.  Physicians need to increase their competence in how to incorporate SDH into care plans. They, and other providers, will need to provide more comprehensive care with greater  awareness of, and exposure to, the social determinants of health and about the health challenges facing vulnerable populations.

Physicians will be more effective if they are trained in early recognition and identification of economic, physical and  social factors that impact health.

Objectives:
• Describe the role of physicians in addressing social needs in practice
• Explain the importance of identifying patients unmet social needs through screening
• List the barriers to addressing the social determinants of health in practice

Additional details will be posted as soon as information is available.