Social determinants of health and health equity
Social determinants of health, or the factors related to where we live, work and play, are key drivers of patient health outcomes and patient engagement. Through careful measurement and population health intervention, providers can address SDOH to advance health equity across patient demographics.
Top Stories
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News
24 Jun 2025
Which hospitals have the best corporate social responsibility?
The Lown Institute's data showed that the most socially responsible hospitals typically have lower CEO pay to enable better health equity, value and outcomes. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Jun 2025
Provider education, advocacy key for LGBTQ+ health access
Better provider education about LGBTQ+-informed care can fuel advocacy efforts, ultimately pushing for better LGBTQ+ care access. Continue Reading
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News
18 Jun 2025
Preventive care, health equity falter despite access gains
The Commonwealth Fund's Scorecard on Health System Performance shows state-by-state variability in health equity and preventive care. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2025
What nurses need to address SDOH, treat vulnerable patients
Better nurse staffing ratios, staff training and efforts to address SDOH will help nurses treat socially vulnerable patients. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2025
Non-English speakers face breast cancer treatment delays
Patients with limited English proficiency face breast cancer treatment delays of up to 11 days, but language services can attenuate potential poor outcomes. Continue Reading
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Definition
05 Jun 2025
What is the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level agency in the executive branch of the federal government, tasked with protecting the health and well-being of all Americans. Continue Reading
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News
04 Jun 2025
Health orgs still committed to closing health disparities
Most healthcare leaders say their organizations will still commit to closing health disparities, even as political and policy headwinds emerge. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 May 2025
How do social determinants of health affect chronic disease?
Understanding how social determinants of health affect chronic disease will be key to the nation's current discourse on chronic disease prevention and management. Continue Reading
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News
28 May 2025
Primary care access problems still plague rural areas
Rural, predominantly White areas in Virginia face bigger primary care access issues, likely due to growing provider shortages in those areas. Continue Reading
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Podcast
22 May 2025
Why mobile medicine needs clinician, peer navigator teamwork
At Healthcare in Action, mobile medicine is only truly effective due to the teamwork between the clinicians delivering the medicine and the peer navigators working with the patients. Continue Reading
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News
19 May 2025
71% of LGBTQ+ patients report healthcare discrimination
Experiences with healthcare discrimination have ripple effects, like hampering an open and transparent patient-provider relationship, survey data shows. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 May 2025
What goes into selecting mobile health clinic equipment?
Healthcare in Action's mobile health clinic is outfitted with tools to deliver medicine tailored specifically for its primarily unhoused patient population. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 May 2025
Mobile health clinics bring care to California's unhoused
Using a nuanced approach to care management, Healthcare in Action uses mobile health clinics to move California's unhouse population into stable housing. Continue Reading
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Podcast
31 Mar 2025
Capturing social determinants of health data in rural health
Armed with a strong health IT system and dedicated nursing and social work team, Sparta Community Hospital acts on social determinants of health data. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Feb 2025
CVS Health: 3 steps to achieving health equity accreditation
CVS Health received URAC's health equity accreditation by assessing how standards fit into its existing health equity strategy. Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2025
Disparities remain as U.S. maternal mortality rate declines
Despite a drop in the overall maternal mortality rate, new CDC data showed continued Black maternal health disparities. Continue Reading
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News
04 Feb 2025
How can SDOH screening, data collection improve?
Better EHR workflows and overtures to support patient trust will be key to improving SDOH screening. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2025
40% of docs say racial discrimination is present in healthcare
Half of American doctors said their patients have shared experiences of racial discrimination in healthcare. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2025
Deloitte: Health equity top priority but faces headwinds
Deloitte's latest report shows that health equity remains a top priority for executives, but efforts are stymied by organizational and regulatory challenges. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Dec 2024
What are vulnerable populations in healthcare?
Identifying vulnerable populations in healthcare is essential to good risk stratification and population health work. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Nov 2024
Inside HRSA's maternal mental health hotline campaign
HRSA has tapped six maternal mental health champions to helm a public health campaign about the agency's 1-833-TLC-MAMA maternal mental health hotline. Continue Reading
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News
08 Nov 2024
VA finds medical transportation fix with Uber Health
VA said the Uber Health partnership reduced missed appointments stemming from medical transportation barriers. Continue Reading
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Podcast
23 Oct 2024
Using a data-driven approach to human-centered SDOH work
As healthcare embraces SDOH data, it must confront challenges in balancing empathy and human connection with a data-driven population health approach. Continue Reading
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News
25 Sep 2024
Improved health equity to add $2.8 trillion to U.S. GDP by 2040?
Health equity improvement could yield $763 billion in corporate profits and prevent 5 million people from leaving the workforce due to health issues. Continue Reading
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News
19 Sep 2024
U.S. trails peers in healthcare quality ranking, care access
The nation's healthcare quality ranking is low for outcomes and equity, but the U.S. does excel in preventive care and patient safety. Continue Reading
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News
17 Sep 2024
Adverse childhood experiences screening key for risk profiles
The pronounced effect adverse childhood experiences have on adult health and well-being indicates a need for better screening and risk profiling. Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2024
March of Dimes report: 2.3M women live in maternal care deserts
According to a 2024 report by March of Dimes, 35% of U.S. counties are maternity care deserts, with roughly 2.3 million women of reproductive age living in these areas. Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2024
Maternity care deserts commonplace as more OB wards shutter
Obstetric ward closures and maternity care provider shortages are driving the growing trend of maternity care deserts nationwide. Continue Reading
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News
10 Sep 2024
50% of women skip care due to high medical costs, care access
Women are 31% more likely to skip care due to high medical costs than their male counterparts. Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2024
U.S. worst in developed world for women's health outcomes
Women's health in the U.S. trails similarly developed nations in terms of outcomes, care access and healthcare affordability. Continue Reading
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News
13 Aug 2024
VA's SDOH pilot targets transportation barriers to healthcare
VA patients enrolled in the SDOH pilot rideshare program had fewer transportation barriers to care, more access and fewer no-shows. Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2024
What's the state of women's health, care access in the U.S.?
A patchwork of insurance provisions and preventive healthcare access leaves much to be desired in terms of U.S. women's health. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Jul 2024
Defining the digital determinants of health
Digital determinants of health (DDOH) are related to health IT and influence an individual's ability to access healthcare. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2024
How the U.S. can close longstanding racial health equity gaps
Access to insurance, better enforcement and more data will be key to addressing the nation's health equity woes. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2024
Top-ranked hospitals still underperform in social responsibility
Hospitals that typically rank high for quality, plus private equity-backed institutions, fell short on the social responsibility ratings. Continue Reading
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Podcast
20 Jun 2024
Laying the groundwork for anti-racism in nursing schools
Creating an environment of inclusivity, and not just diversity, is key to anti-racism in nursing schools. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Jun 2024
Provider directory plans to promote LGBTQ-affirming care
OutCare's online provider directory helps patients find and access LGBTQ-affirming care when it would otherwise be out of reach. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2024
Prediabetes linked to social determinants of health, not race
Social determinants of health disproportionately affect racial/ethnic minorities, leading to disparities in prediabetes in teens. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Jun 2024
Aligning social determinants of health work with CMS rules
Adapting to CMS standards for social determinants of health work meant aligning Cedars-Sinai's internal goals with external requirements. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 May 2024
Teaming up with community-based organizations for SDOH work
Health systems should work alongside community-based organizations to outline specific roles in their teamwork on social determinants of health projects and programs. Continue Reading