Year: 2017
Type: editorial
Abstract: Fostering Cross-Sector CollaborationHealthy citizens are the greatest asset a country can have.-Winston Churchill Over half a century ago, the World Health Organization defined health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.A holistic definition of health requires that we address individuals' health-related social needs to enhance their capacity to engage in complex medical regimens.This, in turn, results in improved selfmanagement of chronic conditions and in overall health and well-being.Somewhere along the way, well-being became disconnected from health and health care delivery in this country.Health-related social needs or social determinants of health have been identified as obstacles to optimizing the effectiveness of health care.Social determinants of health, the social and environmental conditions in which people live, are often linked to health outcomes through the availability of resources to meet daily needs.Food insecurity, the inability to afford adequate food for an active healthy life, has been linked with poor physical, mental, and social health.Inadequate or unstable housing such as frequent moves, unsafe or unsound structures, is associated with high rates of morbidity, mortality, Emergency Department (ED) use, and hospitalizations.Utility needs (energy insecurity) have been linked with increased hospitalizations, poor health, and also to developmental concerns in children.Intimate partner violence results in acute and chronic physical and behavioral health issues and increased hospitalizations and ED visits as well as increased utilization of primary care, pharmacy, and specialty services.Transportation barriers can lead to inadequate or delayed use of health care, decreased access to medication, poor chronic disease management, and can limit options for employment and education.Meaningful progress in improving health care and decreasing costs is unlikely without addressing these root causes of health.Many adults with multiple chronic health conditions have coexisting health-related social needs equal to or greater than their medical needs.Although the insights related to addressing social needs are not new, they 705808WJ NXXX10.
Authors: Catherine E. Vanderboom, Diane E. Holland
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2621699780