Collecting Social Determinants of Health Data in the Clinical Setting: Findings from National PRAPARE Implementation

Abstract

Background: The Protocol for Responding to and Assessing Patient Assets, Risks, and Experiences (PRAPARE) is a nationally recognized standardized protocol that goes beyond medical acuity to account for patients' social determinants of health (SDH).

Aims: We described the magnitude of patient SDH barriers at health centers.

Methods: Health centers across three PRAPARE implementation cohorts collected and submitted PRAPARE data using a standardized data reporting template. We analyzed the scope and intensity of SDH barriers across the cohorts.

Results: Nationally, patients faced an average of 7.2 out of 22 social risks. The most common SDH risks among all three cohorts were limited English proficiency, less than high school education, lack of insurance, experiencing high to medium-high stress, and unemployment.

Conclusions: Findings demonstrated a high prevalence of SDH risks among health center patients that can be critical for informing social interventions and upstream transformation to improve health equity for underserved populations.