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Exploring Social Determinants of Health

Mar 11, 2025

NINR Director's Lecture on Social Determinants of Health

Introduction

  • Event Information: First in a series of webinars by NINR, focusing on research lenses in their 2022-2026 strategic plan.
  • Mission: Nursing research is key to solving health challenges and promoting health equity.
  • Five Research Lenses: Health equity, social determinants of health, population/community health, prevention/health promotion, systems/models of care.

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Research Lens

  • Objective: Develop interventions at the right place/time to target SDOH.
  • Goals:
    • Stimulate discussion on nursing research for health challenges.
    • Provide examples of scientific inquiries through NINR lenses.
    • Discuss practice and policy implications of nursing research.
  • Webinar Features: Q&A module, continuing education credits available.

Speakers

  • Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos
    • Affiliations: Dean at Duke University School of Nursing, expert in adolescent and young adult health.
    • Research Focus: Role of families in promoting health among Latinos and underserved populations.
  • Dr. Brian Castrucci
    • Affiliations: President/CEO of de Beaumont Foundation, expertise in public health practice.
    • Research Focus: Public health policy and practice.

Dr. Guilamo-Ramos' Presentation

Future Directions in Nursing Science

  • Focus: Mitigating SDOH and promoting health equity.
  • Key Points:
    • Current healthcare context emphasizes health equity.
    • Historical and current events highlight chronic and new inequities (e.g., COVID-19, structural racism).
    • Literature review: Significant scholarship on SDOH.

8 Principles of SDOH

  1. Beyond Individuals: Causes beyond individuals drive health inequities.
  2. Context Matters: Structural production of health inequities.
  3. Non-Deterministic Context: Multiple levels of influence.
  4. Life Course Influence: SDOH affect health over a lifetime.
  5. Biological Embedding: Social conditions initiate/sustain biological changes.
  6. Intergenerational Influence: SDOH operates across generations.
  7. Clustering and Synergism: Social determinants cluster and interact.
  8. Eco-Social Framework: Intersectional identities affect health inequities.

Applied Example: RADx-UP Initiative

  • Intervention: Nurse-led model in the South Bronx to address COVID-19 disparities.
  • Approach: Multi-level interventions addressing family and community context, resilience, and access.

Dr. Castrucci's Presentation

Health Policy and Social Determinants

  • Mega Shifts Needed:
    1. Differentiate social needs and determinants.
    2. Change healthcare narrative to focus on broader community impacts.
    3. Partnership building across sectors.
    4. Policy as a health solution.
    5. Data-driven decisions with equity consideration.
    6. Health equity in all health initiatives.

Key Concepts

  • Policy and Environment: Not individual-focused; policy changes needed for systemic change.
  • Data Usage: Bias in data collection and usage must be addressed.
  • Equity Focus: Need diverse research and equitable policy implementation.

Conclusion

  • Nursing's Role: Essential in leading health equity initiatives.
  • Policy and Practice Implications: Implementation science crucial in advancing health equity.

Continuing Education

  • Credits Available: Participants can earn credits by completing a post-webinar survey.

Final Remarks

  • Appreciation for speakers and participants.
  • Future webinars to continue exploring NINR strategic plan topics.

Full transcript