Social Determinants of Health Screening and Intervention in Pediatric Primary Care

Social determinants of health (SDoH) are non-medical factors about a person’s life that influence health outcomes. Currently, universal SDoH screening is recommended by major medical organizations in pediatric primary care, however this practice has not been widely implemented into routine pediatric care. The purpose of this DNP project was to assess the feasibility of a SDoH screening and intervention program among school-aged children in the pediatric primary care setting and evaluate its effect on pediatric health related quality of life (HRQOL). The novel approach of applying the Safe Environment for Every Kid (SEEK) model of care to school-aged children was implemented using the SEEK PQ-R screening tool for SDoH screening with an 8-week telehealth follow-up program utilizing motivational interviewing for those with SDoH needs. Pediatric HRQOL was measured using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scales Short-Form (PedsQL) and pre- and post-intervention scores were compared using descriptive statistics. Among 52 participants screened, 38.5% were positive for SDoH needs. Six participants completed the follow-up program. Median PedsQL scores post-intervention showed an overall upward trend with parent participants observing greater improvements in pediatric HRQOL than child participants. SDoH needs were identified among the school-aged population at the clinic using the SEEK PQ-R, and pediatric HRQOL may be improved with follow-up intervention for identified needs.