Health Equity/Social Determinants of Health
Health Equity/Social Determinants of Health 5
Sarah E. Brewer, PhD MPA (she/her/hers)
Assistant Professor
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Aurora, Colorado, United States
Asthma affects approximately 8.5% of Colorado children. Our school-based asthma program (SBAP) effectively addresses poorly controlled asthma and asthma disparities, especially when coupled with screening for and addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) needs.
The Delphi process yielded 6 domains to include: healthcare access, transportation, food insecurity, public benefits, housing, and utilities. [Table 1] The screener layout was adapted from the Boston Medical THRIVE screening tool to include graphic cues by domain. CABs endorsed the proposed domains and layout. In the pilot, 41 screening tools were completed and 36 parents (17% Spanish-speaking) provided brief feedback via a 2–5-minute structured conversation. Most families understood the purpose of the tool, felt questions were clear, appropriate, and quick to complete, and liked the pictures. Four families completed brief semi-structured interviews (25% Spanish-speaking). Feedback was positive overall, but some expressed concerns about families’ willingness to disclose needs. The clinic’s care coordinator expressed a preference for the pilot tool compared with their existing screening tool based on visual layout and plain language used. They recommended adding a statement assuring confidentiality to encourage honest reporting by patients.