Judith Thompson, Rare Disease Population Health Strategy Lead at UCB, discusses social determinants of health in rare diseases.
As Ms. Thompson explains, social determinants of health are the conditions in which people live, work, and play. They impact how people live with and manage their diseases as well as access to care. These determinants include things such as:
- Biological factors
- Community
- Environment
- Socioeconomic status
- Digital connectedness
- Social connectedness
- Food security
- Race, ethnicity, and culture
One method to measure social determinants is by using data gathered by the U.S. census and companies that provide proprietary data. Social determinants data is aggregated from public health records, the IRS, credit card companies, medical claims etc. The data is then used to create domains of social risk based on a variety of factors, including geography
Awareness of social determinants of health is important for physicians. This knowledge can assist them when making referrals and recommendations to help patients address their needs. This allows for better access to care and social resources. Additionally, it is important for patients to understand how social determinants affect their health and well-being and to make better choices for their health.
AANEM 2024 Presentation
A presentation at the 2024 AANEM conference included a retrospective analysis of an open claims database crossmatched with social risk databases. From the analysis, the following conclusions were observed:
- Individuals with myasthenia gravis (MG) receiving delayed diagnosis were more likely to live in a community with poor health literacy and high risk housing.
- Those with MG who were misdiagnosed were more likely to reside in a geographical area with high risk for social isolation and housing insecurity and the lowest quantile median household income.
- Individuals with MG receiving suboptimal treatment are more likely to reside in high risk food landscapes and housing communities.
Ms. Thompson also stresses the importance of cultural and diversity considerations that help physicians better connect with and understand patients.
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