Operationalizing Social Determinants of Health Assessments to Tackle Food Insecurity

Ambulatory care nurses are in an ideal position to gather social determinants of health (SODH) information from patients. Data on SDOH give nurses deeper insights into non-clinical factors affecting patient health, providing an opportunity for a more integrated approach to care. The challenge lies in turning this awareness into action. With increased visibility of issues like food insecurity, nurses seek practical solutions. Organizations may address this by partnering with food pantries or developing in-house programs, allowing staff to offer ‘food prescriptions'’ as direct interventions. This article explores the evolution of SDOH assessments and highlights evidence-based strategies from current literature to help outpatient health care providers effectively operationalize these assessments to tackle food insecurity.