Social Determinants of Health: As Seen in a Courtroom

J Law Med Ethics. 2023;51(4):984-987. doi: 10.1017/jme.2024.24. Epub 2024 Mar 13.

Abstract

To provide effective care physicians must attend, not just to medical issues, but also to the social determinants of health - racial factors, food insecurity, housing instability, transportation barriers and beyond. Social determinants also include a largely underrecognized dimension: legal vulnerabilities such as rental evictions and debt adjudications. Yet rarely do medical trainees have an opportunity to witness legal vulnerabilities, firsthand.

Keywords: Court; Debt; Eviction; Residency Training; Social Determinants of Health.

MeSH terms

  • Housing
  • Humans
  • Physicians*
  • Social Determinants of Health*