Because I See You: Pharmacist Social Determinants of Health as Predictor of Structural Awareness.

BACKGROUND: The contribution of Social Determinants of Health to health disparities and patient outcomes is widely acknowledged. Much less has been done to characterize provider SDOH, and in particular their effect on delivery of structurally competent care. Differing lived experiences create blind spots to the critical upstream factors contributing to health. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to examine the association between Structural Awareness (SA) and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) when controlling for year of first licensure, primary setting of pharmacy practice, race, and gender. The secondary objective was to examine the difference in mean SA scores with four stand-alone predictor variables: reliance on public transportation, insurance coverage gaps, food insecurity, and housing insecurity. METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional web-based survey of 606 Minnesota pharmacists. SDOH risk and SA scores were assessed using modified versions of the PRAPARE and CCSAQ tools, respectively. The association of these scores was assessed using a multiple linear regression model and the association with stand-alone variables was done using t-tests. RESULTS: SDOH risk was significantly associated with SA at the 95% confidence level with a p-value of 0.0016. Food and housing insecurity were also significantly associated with SA score while reliance on public transportation and insurance coverage gaps were not. CONCLUSION: Pharmacy and other healthcare professional training programs should create opportunities for exposure to the SDOH experienced by their patients through immersive learning and/or experiential education.

Social Vulnerability and National Diabetes Prevention Program Recognition Status.

INTRODUCTION: The CDC National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) aims to reduce the incidence of diabetes in the U.S. Organizations delivering the National DPP receive pending, preliminary, full, or full-plus recognition status based on specific program criteria and outcomes. Achieving full/full-plus recognition is critical for organizations to sustain the program and receive reimbursements to cover costs, but organizations in disadvantaged areas may face barriers to obtaining this level of recognition. This study examined the association between county-level social vulnerability and full/full-plus recognition status within the National DPP. METHODS: Using the 2022 National DPP registry and the 2018 CDC Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), a three-level categorical dependent variable was created (n=843): counties without organizations having full/full-plus recognition, counties with at least one organization not having full/full-plus recognition, and counties with all organizations having full/full-plus recognition. A multinomial logit model was analyzed in 2023 to examine the association between SVI and in-person full/full-plus recognition organizations at the county level, adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: Compared to counties with low social vulnerability, counties with higher social vulnerability had significantly higher odds of having no organizations with full/full-plus recognition. For example, counties with high SVI had 2.63 (95% CI: 1.55-4.47) times higher odds of having no organizations with full/full-plus recognition compared to having all organizations with full/full-plus CDC recognition. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest disparities in the National DPP recognition status among organizations in vulnerable communities. Developing strategies to ensure organizations in high social vulnerability areas achieve at least full recognition status is critical for program sustainability and reducing diabetes-related health disparities.

Assessing Social Determinants of Health During Critical Illness: Implications and Methodologies.

A growing body of literature has identified social determinants of health (SDoH) as potential contributors to health disparities in pediatric critical illness. Pediatric critical care providers should use validated screening tools to identify unmet social needs and ensure appropriate referral through multisector partnerships. Pediatric critical care researchers should consider factors outside of race and insurance status and explore the association between neighborhood-level factors and disparate health outcomes during critical illness. Measuring and addressing the SDoH at the individual and neighborhood level are important next steps in mitigating health disparities for critically ill pediatric patients.

Social Disparities and Critical Illness during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Narrative Review.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic raised new considerations for social disparities in critical illness including hospital capacity and access to personal protective equipment, access to evolving therapies, vaccinations, virtual care, and restrictions on family visitation. This narrative review aims to explore evidence about racial/ethnic and socioeconomic differences in critical illness during the COVID-19 pandemic, factors driving those differences and promising solutions for mitigating inequities in the future. We apply a patient journey framework to identify social disparities at various stages before, during, and after patient interactions with critical care services and discuss recommendations for policy and practice.

Sharing Social Needs Data Across Sectors: Lessons From the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Innovation Center's Accountable Health Communities Model.

Health-related social needs (HRSNs), like unstable housing, inability to afford utilities, food insecurity, unreliable transportation, and lack of personal safety, profoundly affect people's health and well-being. Between 2017 and 2022, awardees of the Accountable Health Communities Model (AHC) addressed the health-related social needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries through screening, referral, and community navigation services. Using and sharing HRSN data between clinical and community partners was a critical component of these efforts. This article shares findings from focus groups and interviews with 19 AHC awardees and seven of their partners. It explores the following:1. Whether sharing HRSN data with clinical partners informed clinical care2. Successes and challenges related to sharing data with community-based organizations (CBOs) and clinical partners3. How awardees collected and used HRSN data to advance health equityHalf of awardees interviewed documented HRSNs in electronic health records and shared aggregated HRSN data with CBOs. HRSN data enabled some clinicians to adjust patient care, although most were uncertain about how to do so. Participants described how sharing HRSN data with communities informs program and funding priorities to improve equity. However, CBOs noted that they had limited incentive to participate in data-sharing platforms. Our work highlights opportunities to provide guidance to clinicians on how to use HRSN screening results in care, standardize HRSN screening results in electronic health records, and co-create data-sharing initiatives with CBOs and patients to ensure meaningful participation.

The relation between toxic substance consumption and the positive mental health of adolescents, a descriptive cross-sectional study.

This study aims to find out how adolescents' consumption of toxic substances such as tobacco and alcohol is influenced by the Positive Mental Health. A quantitative methodology with a cross-sectional design has been used to achieve the final conclusions. The intervention was carried out by applying the Positive Mental Health Questionnaire developed by Teresa Lluch to a group of adolescents from Don Juan Manuel High School in Guadalajara (Spain). Our results shows that the Positive Mental Health of adolescents have a great impact on the tobacco and alcohol consumption. The scientific literature consulted signs that people who do not consume substances tend to have better Positive Mental Health.

Program Implementation Strategies Associated With Reduced Acute Care Utilization for Medicaid Beneficiaries in California's Whole Person Care Pilot Program.

Public health care policymakers and payers are increasingly investing in efforts to address patients' health-related social needs (HRSNs) as a strategy for improving health while controlling or reducing costs. However, evidence regarding the implementation and impact of HRSN interventions remains limited. California's Whole Person Care Pilot program (WPC) was a Medicaid Section 1115 waiver demonstration program focused on the provision of care coordination and other services to address eligible beneficiaries' HRSN. In this study, we examine pilot-level variation in impact on acute care utilization and identify factors associated with differential outcomes. The majority of pilots reduced emergency department (ED) visits for enrollees relative to matched controls; however, only four pilots reduced both ED visits and hospitalizations. Coincidence analysis results highlight the importance of cross-sector partnerships, field-based outreach and engagement, and adequate program investment in differentiating pilots that reduced acute care utilization from those that did not.

The Spanish pathway program: Introducing, recruiting, and retaining Spanish-speaking students to the pharmacy profession.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although 19% of the US population is Hispanic or Latino, less than 5 % of pharmacists identify as Hispanic. To increase patients' access to Spanish-speaking pharmacists, we created a Spanish Pathway Program. This program is adaptable to other colleges or schools of pharmacy with high Hispanic or Latino populations or for addressing disparities in other underrepresented groups. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: The program was designed with three objectives: 1) attracting Hispanic, Latino, and/or Spanish-speaking students to pharmacy careers, 2) recruiting and retaining Spanish-speaking pharmacy students to the program with leadership development, mentoring, education, and networking opportunities, and 3) preparing students to serve Hispanic and Latino communities through experiential rotations and health outreaches. Outcomes included student application and retention rates, graduate job placement, and clinical interventions made by program students on experiential rotations in Hispanic/Latino communities. FINDINGS: Over six years, the program has grown from two students on one campus to 20 students from two campuses. Program retention is 97% with three-fourths of graduates securing community pharmacy careers. Students report positive patient interactions because of their ability to communicate in Spanish. DISCUSSION: This program successfully increased the number of Spanish-speaking pharmacists by increasing the number of Spanish-speaking students in our pharmacy program and subsequent employment in practice. We refined the program by adding a medical Spanish certification course and student projects which aid the Hispanic and Latino community. SUMMARY: The Spanish Pathway Program established at Roseman University has had six years of success increasing the Spanish-speaking pharmacist workforce.

Hispanic individuals' cervical cancer screening disparities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cervical cancer screening rates of Hispanic individuals compared to non-Hispanic White (NHW) individuals in the United States, whether a responsive surge in catch-up screenings occurred as society adapted to pandemic changes, and to investigate the sociodemographic characteristics between the study populations. METHODS: Using cross-sectional data from the All of Us Research Program, which incorporates electronic health record data and survey data from a demographically, geographically, and medically diverse participant group, we assessed the annual cervical cancer screening rates during 2019-2021 by race/ethnicity among eligible individuals ages 21-64. RESULTS: Among 116,052 unique individuals (78,829 NHW and 37,223 Hispanic), Hispanic individuals had lower annual cervical cancer screening rates than NHWI across the three years studied. They experienced a more significant decrease in screening from 2019 to 2020 (39.27 %) compared to NHWIs (21.15 %) and less of a rebound increase in the following year, 2021 (10.33 % vs 13.83 %). Hispanic individuals aged 50-64 experienced the sharpest decline in screening rates (-43.01 % from 2019 to 2020). Hispanic individuals also experienced greater adverse social conditions, including lack of insurance or employment, lower educational attainment, and lower household income. CONCLUSIONS: Hispanic individuals experienced a more significant decrease in cervical cancer screening rates with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with NHW individuals and did not experience a robust rebound in cervical cancer screening rates in 2021. As a result, the disparity in cervical cancer screening rates between NHW and Hispanic individuals considerably worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Community-Based Physical Activity Programs for Blood Pressure Management in African Americans: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, with a higher prevalence among African Americans (AA) than other racial groups. The impact of community-based interventions on managing blood pressure (BP) in AA communities is not fully understood. The purpose of this review was to synthesize literature on community-based physical activity (PA) programs designed to manage BP in AA populations. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review by searching 4 databases (PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and APA PsycInfo) and reference lists of studies. Search terms included community PA, community-based, hypertension, high BP, AA, Black Americans, PA, and exercise. Inclusion criteria were studies (1) conducted in the United States and (2) published in English language from January 2013 to September 2023, with community-based interventions that included PA for BP management among AA aged ≥18 years. RESULTS: Search results yielded 260 studies, of which 11 met the inclusion criteria. BP decreased over time in studies that incorporated PA, faith-based therapeutic lifestyle changes with nutritional education. The duration of the PA interventions varied, with moderate to vigorous PAs implemented for 12 weeks or longer having a greater impact on BP management. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence suggests that community-based PA programs can potentially reduce BP among AA. PA programs incorporating faith-based therapeutic lifestyle change with nutritional education appear to reduce BP. Practitioners should consider multicomponent community-based PA initiatives to improve BP outcomes in AA communities.

Beginning with the End in Mind: Creating a Practice that Centers Equity-Part 1.

The concept of equity recognizes historical and current barriers and promotes thriving for veterinary teams and people and animals in the community. Veterinary medicine lacks sociodemographic diversity; veterinarians and other team members who identify with systemically excluded groups offer valuable contributions but are at risk of workplace discrimination. Client families who face barriers for financial and other reasons are at risk of poor animal health and welfare outcomes, including separation from their animals. This article is part one of 2 articles reviewing how the concept of equity applies and could transform well-being in companion animal veterinary practice in North America.

Health inequalities in a middle-income country: a systematic review of the Costa Rican case.

Objective: This study systematically reviews evidence of socioeconomic health disparities in Costa Rica, a middle-income country, to elucidate the relationship between socioeconomic status and health outcomes. Methods: Published studies were identified through a systematic review of PubMed (English) and Scielo (Spanish) databases from December 2023 to January 2024, following PRISMA guidelines. Search terms included socioeconomic status, social determinants, social gradient in health, and health inequalities. Results: Of 236 identified references, 55 met the inclusion criteria. Findings were categorized into health inequalities in mortality (among the general population, infants, and older adults), life expectancy, cause-specific mortality, and health determinants or risk factors mediating the association between the social environment and health. The studies indicate higher mortality among the most disadvantaged groups, including deaths from respiratory diseases, violence, and infections. Higher socioeconomic status was associated with lower mortality rates in the 1990s, indicating a positive social gradient in health (RII = 1.3, CI [1.1-1.5]). Disparities were less pronounced among older adults. Urban areas exhibited concentrated wealth and increased risky behaviors, while rural areas, despite greater socioeconomic deprivation, showed a lower prevalence of risky behaviors. Regarding smoking, people living in rural areas smoked significantly less than those in urban areas (7% vs. 10%). Despite the relatively equitable distribution of public primary healthcare, disparities persisted in the timely diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases. Cancer survival rates post-diagnosis were positively correlated with the wealth of districts (1.23 [1.12-1.35] for all cancers combined). Conclusion: The study highlights the existence of social health inequalities in Costa Rica. However, despite being one of the most unequal OECD countries, Costa Rica shows relatively modest social gradients in health compared to other middle and high-income nations. This phenomenon can be attributed to distinctive social patterns in health behaviors and the equalizing influence of the universal healthcare system.

Framing racial disparities within sports related concussion (SRC): an ecological framework for understanding biases and disparities in concussion care for black athletes.

Privilege and marginalization associated with racial background have been posited as contributors to why Black athletes face disparities within their care, treatment, and recovery from sport-related concussion (SRC). However, empirical findings have limited exploration on how disparate outcomes have emerged, and the interaction with systems of biases, power and disenfranchisement. To understand concussion care disparities, a qualitative content analysis was conducted in three phases: [I] identifying salient literature on racial differences for Black athletes with SRC (N = 29), [II] qualitative analysis of literature to determine salient topics, themes and patterns within the literature, and [III] constructing a novel ecological-systems framework that encapsulates the 'why' and 'how' related to psychosocial and sociocultural experiences of power, access, and biases for Black athletes. The content analysis yielded two patterns, where concussion care decisions are influenced by (1) biased, unconscious beliefs that posit Black athletes as uniquely invincible to injury and pain, and (2) inadequate access to concussion knowledge and resources, which both moderate SRC injury risk, diagnosis, recovery and outcomes. Ultimately, our novel framework provides a clear thread on how historical, macro-level policy and perceptions can impact micro-level clinical care and decision-making for Black athletes with SRC.

Sociopolitical context and COVID-19 fatality rates in OECD countries: a configurational approach.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of crisis response can be influenced by various structural, cultural, and functional aspects within a social system. This study uses a configurational approach to identify combinations of sociopolitical conditions that lead to a high case fatality rate (CFR) of COVID-19 in OECD countries. METHODS: A Fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is conducted on a sample of 38 OECD countries. The outcome to be explained is high COVID-19 CFR. The five potentially causal conditions are level of democracy, state capacity, trust in government, health expenditure per capita, and the median age of population. A comprehensive QCA robustness test protocol is applied, which includes sensitivity ranges, fit-oriented robustness, and case-oriented robustness tests. RESULTS: None of the causal conditions in both the presence and negation form were found to be necessary for high or low levels of COVID-19 CFR. Two different combinations of sociopolitical conditions were usually sufficient for the occurrence of a high CFR of COVID-19 in OECD countries. Low state capacity and low trust in government are part of both recipes. The entire solution formula covers 84 percent of the outcome.  Some countries have been identified as contradictory cases. The explanations for their COVID-19 CFR require more in-depth case studies. CONCLUSIONS: From a governance perspective, the weakness of government in effectively implementing policies, and the citizens' lack of confidence in their government, combined with other structural conditions, serve as barriers to mounting an effective response to COVID-19. These findings can support the idea that the effects of social determinants of COVID-19 outcomes are interconnected and reinforcing.

Disparities in COVID-19 vaccination receipt by race, ethnicity, and social determinants of health among a large patient population in a network of community-based healthcare centers.

BACKGROUND: There are known disparities in U.S. COVID-19 vaccination but there is limited information on national vaccine uptake in a large, racially diverse, all-age population. Here, we describe COVID-19 vaccination coverage in a large U.S. population accessing care in OCHIN (not an acronym), a national network of community-based healthcare organizations. METHODS: Within OCHIN, we identified patients aged 6 months and older with ≥1 completed clinical encounter since becoming age-eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine between December 13, 2020 and December 31, 2022. Patients' COVID-19 vaccination status was assessed from OCHIN's Epic® electronic health record which includes data from state immunization information systems. Patients were considered vaccinated if they received ≥1 dose of a monovalent vaccine product; coverage was categorized by age groups (6 months-4 years; 5-11 years, 12-15 years, 16+ years). Multivariate analyses assessed factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination across age groups. RESULTS: The cohort included 3.3 million Hispanic (37 %), non-Hispanic (NH) White (31 %), NH Black (15 %), and NH Asian (7 %) patients; 45 % of whom were Medicaid-enrolled, 19 % uninsured, and 53 % with a household income below 100 % of the federal poverty level. The proportion with ≥1 COVID-19 vaccine dose increased with age, from 11.7 % (6 months through 4 years) to 72.3 % (65 years and older). The only factors associated with significantly higher COVID-19 vaccine coverage across age groups were prior receipt of an influenza vaccine and having private insurance. In adjusted modeling, when compared to NH whites, COVID-19 vaccine coverage was significantly higher among Hispanic, NH Asian, and NH multiple-race patients aged ≥5 years and significantly lower among NH Black and NH Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander patients aged 6 months-4 years old. CONCLUSIONS: We identified disparities in primary series COVID-19 vaccine coverage by age, race and ethnicity, household income, insurance status, and prior influenza vaccination within this large, diverse population accessing care in community-based healthcare organizations.

Health status and self-perception of health among homeless people in Spain: a mixed-methods study.

Introduction: Homelessness is a phenomenon of social exclusion and poverty that has increased alarmingly during recent years. Homeless people (HP) experience violations of several basic human rights or needs that impact their well-being. Therefore, the aim of this research was to assess the health status and self-perceived health of HP and examining the impact of homelessness on their health. Methods: We used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach that integrated a quantitative cross-sectional study within critical social and ethno-sociological qualitative frameworks. Data were collected in Palma, Spain, from December 1, 2020, to January 1, 2023. A total of 198 HP were recruited from the streets and public areas. Basic human needs (Virginia Henderson model), medical diagnoses, substance abuse (DAST-10), diet quality (IASE), depression (PHQ-9), and social support (SSQ-6) were assessed. Then, 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted and were analyzed using thematic content and discourse analysis. Quantitative and qualitative data were integrated and jointly analyzed. Results: The 79.3% of the participants were men, mean age of 47.8 ± 12.2 years. The 76.4% were Spanish. The participants reported severe difficulties in accessing the labor market, and that this greatly affected their self-esteem and mental health. The 48.9% of the participants suffered from one or more chronic diseases, and 50.3% were diagnosed with a mental health disorder. The participants generally did not consider health problems as a central concern. The health needs that most affected the participants were related to food, safety, and social support. HP frequently felt unsafe, fearfully, and anxious. Conclusion: Homelessness, unemployment, and social exclusion have significant negative impacts on the health and wellbeing of HP. Precarious work conditions and deficiencies in the welfare system contribute significantly to homelessness. These results highlight the need for systemic solutions that extend beyond short-term housing initiatives.

Baby-Friendly Hospitals, Social Determinants of Health, and Disparities in Breastfeeding Initiation in a Low-Income Population, 2017-2020.

BACKGROUND: Organizational-level interventions (i.e., Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative) that support breastfeeding and target breastfeeding initiation are critical to reducing breastfeeding disparities and promoting breastfeeding equity. RESEARCH AIM: To determine the association between delivery in a Baby-Friendly accredited hospital and breastfeeding initiation among United States recipients of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in Washington DC, the majority of whom report their race as Black. METHOD: We conducted a secondary analysis of de-identified program data collected as part of routine WIC visits from the Washington DC WIC program, 2017-2020. Women who delivered a firstborn, singleton infant were included (N = 8,225). Multivariable logistic regression models accounted for social determinants of health and other factors. One set of models included a binary exposure variable (Baby-Friendly accredited vs. non-accredited hospitals), and another set included a categorical exposure variable for hospitals (1) Baby-Friendly accredited, (2) Baby-Friendly activities but not accredited, and (3) neither Baby-Friendly activities nor accredited. RESULTS: Breastfeeding initiation was 57.4% (n = 1988) for women delivering in accredited hospitals versus 55.4% (n = 2540) in non-accredited hospitals and multivariable model results were non-significant (OR = 0.95, 95% CI [0.86, 1.05]). However, more women initiated breastfeeding who delivered in either accredited hospitals (57.4%, n = 1988) or hospitals with Baby-Friendly activities but not accredited (55.9%, n = 2430) compared to those delivering in hospitals with neither (45.3%, n = 110), and multivariable models results concurred (Baby-Friendly accredited hospitals OR = 1.44, 95% CI [1.07, 1.94]; Baby-Friendly activities but not accredited, (OR = 1.55, 95% CI [1.16, 2.09]). CONCLUSION: Organizational-level interventions that create hospital environments supportive of breastfeeding initiation are important to promote equity in breastfeeding, but underlying social determinants of breastfeeding outcomes must be addressed.

A Children's Rights Framework for Genomic Medicine: Newborn Screening as a Use Case.

The year 2023 marked the 60th anniversary of screening newborns in the United States for diseases that benefit from early identification and intervention. All around the world, the goal of NBS is to facilitate timely diagnosis and management to improve individual health outcomes in all newborns regardless of their place of birth, economic circumstances, ability to pay for treatment, and access to healthcare. Advances in technology to screen and treat disease have led to a rapid increase in the number of screened conditions, and innovations in genomics are expected to exponentially expand this number further. A system where all newborns are screened, coupled with rapid technological innovation, provides a unique opportunity to improve pediatric health outcomes and advance children's rights, including the unique rights of sick and disabled children. This is especially timely as we approach the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child, which includes children's right to healthcare, and the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child that expanded upon this aspect and affirmed each child's right to the highest attainable standard of health. In this manuscript, we provide background on the evolving recognition of the rights of children and the foundational rights to healthcare and non-discrimination, provide two examples that highlight issues to access and equity in newborn screening that may limit a child's right to healthcare and best possible outcomes, detail ways the current approach to newborn screening advances the rights of the child, and finally, propose that the incorporation of genomics into newborn screening presents a useful case study to recognize and uphold the rights of every child.

Implementing and monitoring high-quality community health worker care in adult primary care at New York City Health + Hospitals.

BACKGROUND: This study describes how New York City (NYC) Health + Hospitals implemented a large-scale Community Health Worker (CHW) program in adult primary care clinics between January 2022 and December 2023 and established metrics to monitor program implementation. This study is timely as healthcare systems consider how to scale high-quality CHW programs. METHODS: We collected metrics in the following areas: (1) Workforce demographics, team structure, and training; (2) Enrolled patient demographics; (3) Patient-centered metrics, such as patient counts (e.g. patients outreached and enrolled) and engagement (e.g. median time in program, caseloads per CHW), and goals (e.g. median number of goals identified and completed). Metrics are based on standard data elements captured through CHW documentation in the electronic health record collected during program implementation. Data cleaning is completed using SQL queries and R scripts. RESULTS: In June 2023, there were a total of 97 CHW and 22 CHW Supervisor staff lines in adult primary care across 17 healthcare sites. There were 4.6 CHWs to 1 CHW supervisor on average though this ranged by facility from 1:1 to 1:6. Compared to the population that receives primary care at NYC H + H, CHWs served more African American/Black patients (40% vs. 32%) and an older patient population (35% older than 65 vs. 21% older than 65). From January 2022 to December 2023, 13,812 patients were outreached by CHWs. Of these, 9,069 (66%) were referred by clinicians, 7,331 (53%) were enrolled, and 5,044 (37%) successfully graduated. The median number of goals identified by patients was four, and the median number of goals completed with a CHW per patient was three. The top three goals were primary care engagement (47%), specialty care engagement (46%), and food insecurity (45%). CONCLUSION: Establishing clear implementation and process metrics helps to ensure that CHWs embedded in health systems can meaningfully engage adult patients in health care, address patient-centered goals, and connect patients to community and government services.

Strategies to Improve Access to Care for Patients With Opioid Use Disorder.

Treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) faces several challenges, including restricted access to medications, geographical and logistical barriers, and variability in treatment availability across different communities. This article outlines several strategies aimed at improving access to medications. Pharmacy-based care could potentially extend access to medications but would require regulatory changes to empower pharmacists. In addition, telemedicine has shown promise in improving access by mitigating geographic and transportation barriers. Mobile health clinics also offer a direct approach to delivering medication-based treatments to underserved communities. Furthermore, integrating OUD treatment into primary care settings could facilitate early detection and treatment. Policy changes have increased access to take-home medications and buprenorphine initiation at home. Community engagement would be crucial for tackling the social determinants of health to offer equitable care for patients. The implementation of these strategies has the potential to significantly enhance the accessibility and delivery of effective, timely and equitable treatment to patients with OUD.