Social Determinants of Health

Social Determinants of Health

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During my shifts as a primary care physician, a patient, Mrs. Smith, was brought into the hospital due to diabetes complications. During the initial consultation, I presented Mrs. Smith with information about various treatment options, including lifestyle changes, oral medications, and insulin therapy. Mrs. Smith seemed overwhelmed and uncertain about which treatment path to take.To better understand her preferences and social determinants of health, I engaged her inopen communicationto learnabout her daily routines, dietary habits, family support, financial situation, and access to healthcare servicesMrs. Smith expressed concerns about her inability to make significant lifestyle changes due to her busy work schedule and limited access to healthy food options in her neighborhood. She also mentioned her fear of needles, making insulin therapy less appealing.

Based on the information gathered, I focusedon dietary modifications and oral medications that fit her lifestyle and budget constraints since she hesitates about insulin therapy. I provided her with educational materials and resources on healthy eating habits and suggested exercise routines that could be incorporated into her daily routine (Hill-Briggs, Adler, &Berkowitz et al., 2021). Additionally, I connected her with a diabetes educator who could support her in making gradual lifestyle changes.To support Mrs. Smith in making an informed decision about her treatment plan, I offered her a patient decision aid specific to diabetes management. The decision aid provided her comprehensive information about each treatment option, including its benefits, risks, and expected outcomes.

Decision aids are important during treatments. For instance, the patient decision aid proved valuable to Mrs. Smith’s case as it empowered her to take an active role in her healthcare decisions. She could review the information at her own pace, discuss her concerns with her family and friends, and come to the next appointment with a clearer idea of her preferred treatment approach (Coronado-Vázquez, Canet-Fajas&Delgado-Marroquín et al., 2020).Additionally, the decision aid emphasized the importance of considering social determinants of health, helping Mrs. Smith understand how external factors could influence her diabetes management.

In my professional practice, I would integrate the decision-aid inventory, such as the one provided by the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, into my routine patient care. I would use decision aids to help patients like Mrs. Smith understand their treatment options, engage them in shared decision-making, and address any concerns or barriers they may have. Furthermore, decision aids can be educational tools that promote patient autonomy and ensure the treatment plan aligns with the patient’s values and preferences.

References

Coronado-Vázquez, V., Canet-Fajas, C., Delgado-Marroquín, M. T., Magallón-Botaya, R., Romero-Martín, M., & Gómez-Salgado, J. (2020). Interventions to facilitate shared decision-making using decision aids with patients in Primary Health Care: A systematic review. Medicine, 99(32).

Hill-Briggs, F., Adler, N. E., Berkowitz, S. A., Chin, M. H., Gary-Webb, T. L., Navas-Acien, A., … &Haire-Joshu, D. (2021). Social determinants of health and diabetes: a scientific review. Diabetes care, 44(1), 258.