Primary care
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Because of the devastating health effects of social determinants of health (SDoH), it is important for the primary care provider to assess and monitor these types of stressors. This can be done via surveys, geomapping, or various biomarkers. ⋯ Nor is geomapping, a perfect solution. Although mapping can collect location specific factors, it does not account for the fact that patients may live in one area, work in another and travel frequently to a third.
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Climate change ubiquitously influences social determinants of health via various pathways. Disproportionately burdening communities who have contributed the least to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and benefitted the least from economic benefits obtained through high-emission activities that cause climate change, climate justice must be centered in any discussion of health equity. This article will explore how climate change contributes to health disparities in vulnerable populations, why this is a justice issue for primary care to address, and what we can do to promote equity, resilience, and adaption in our current economic system while mitigating GHG emissions, leveraging the health sector.
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Research demonstrates that nearly all health outcomes are patterned by level of education. Specifically, adults with lower educational attainment report more chronic conditions, more functional limitations, and worse overall health. In addition to affecting educational attainment, schools provide an important context in which students spend a substantial portion of their time. ⋯ In this article, we explore the relationships between educational attainment and health. We also emphasize the importance of educational contexts as determinants of health that precede educational attainment and contribute to related health outcomes. Finally, we discuss implications for primary care practitioners and their efforts to address disparities in health and education.
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This article, focused on outlining the digital domain as a "super" social determinant of health, considers the core issues of digital equity (ie, digital access, digital devices, and digital skills) to structure the implications that the digital domain has on human health and well-being. In addition to considering an ever-evolving landscape of digital health, telehealth, and other digital health technologies, we pay particular attention to the influence the digital domain has on patient-provider relationships, as well as the challenges, opportunities, and key considerations that advancements in digital health and technologies have for extending and enhancing direct patient care.
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Both mental illness and overall mental health are determined by a complicated interplay of life experiences and genetic predisposition. While genetic predisposition is difficult to modify, many of the life experiences that worsen mental health and exacerbate serious mental illness are associated with social policies and cultural norms that are changeable. Now that we have identified these associations, it is time to rigorously test scalable interventions to address these risks. These interventions will need to focus on high-impact stages in life (like childhood) and will need to address risk beyond the individual by focusing on the family and community.