Many of us are unaware that social determinants have a major impact on health outcomes — especially for the most vulnerable populations such as many living in communities in close proximity to the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital.
The World Health Organization defines social determinants as “the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life”. In other words, social determinants are non-medical factors that may greatly impact a person’s health.
Factors such as education, income level, and environment must be considered when providing treatment to achieve better health outcomes in these populations. Additional social determinants of health include safe housing, transportation and neighborhoods; racism, discrimination and violence; access to nutritious foods and physical activity opportunities; quality of air and water; and language and literacy skills.
Invaluable insight into improving a patient’s health comes with the understanding of social factors that can help predict negative outcomes including early hospital readmissions, poor compliance with prescribed medications, susceptibility to chronic diseases and high-risk pregnancies.
In general, people from poorer social or economic circumstances are at greater risk of poor health, have higher rates of illness, disability and death, and live shorter lives than those who are more advantaged. Generally, every step up the socioeconomic ladder is accompanied by an increase in better health.
For more than 160 years, Eskenazi Health has continued to find and support new ways to address social determinants of health affecting the patients and communities it serves.
In keeping with Eskenazi Health’s dedication to its patients, the community health worker role was created. Community health workers have become a very useful resource; specifically for individuals with little to no social support, homebound patients and the elderly.
Eskenazi Health community health workers meet one-on-one with patients at designated Eskenazi Health Center locations and patient homes to enhance an individual’s understanding and adherence to treatment protocols, identify potential social determinants of health and help patients set and achieve their self-management goals.
During their time with patients, Eskenazi Health community health workers conduct welfare or safety checks, distribute medical supplies, assist with blood pressure or blood sugar checks, support social and emotional needs, help patients get back on track with the correct medication under the guidance of health care providers, provide resources and solutions by recommending and enrolling patients in available programs and educate patients on COVID-19 vaccines.
Playing a vital role in bridging the gap between patients and their health care providers is one of the major roles of Eskenazi Health community health care workers, who strive to create and maintain positive relationships while becoming a valued resource for health care education.
Through focusing on social determinants of health for patients Eskenazi Health serves, the goal is for those individuals to live healthier and longer lives, which cannot be achieved without the hard work of our highly-trained and dedicated community health workers.
With recent funding from Health Resources and Services Administration, Direct Relief and Center for Disease Control, Eskenazi Health has doubled the CHW staff working in primary care and created a specialized internal training.
For more information about Eskenazi Health community health workers, please contact Tanika McNeal, community health worker supervisor at tanika.mcneal@eskenazihealth or Shakata Leigh Norwood, community health worker supervisor at shakata.leighnorwood@eskenazihealth.edu.
Nydia Nunez-Estrada, M.D.
Family Medicine Specialist at Eskenazi Health Center North Arlington