The following is a summary of “Uses of Social Determinants of Health Data to Address Cardiovascular Disease and Health Equity: A Scoping Review,” published in the November 2023 issue of Cardiology by McNeill et al.
Cardiovascular disease stands as the primary cause of global morbidity and mortality. Previous studies underscore the compounding influence of social determinants of health on overall well-being, particularly concerning cardiovascular conditions. This scoping review delves into the utilization and applications of social determinants of health data to address cardiovascular disease and promote health equity.
From an initial pool of 4,110 articles identified, 50 studies were subjected to data extraction after eliminating duplicates. The majority of these studies drew upon similar sources of social determinants of health data, such as geocoded electronic health records, responses from national surveys, and census data. These investigations primarily concentrated on healthcare access and quality and neighborhood and built environment analyses. The predominant focus was on developing interventions to enhance healthcare access and quality or identifying and characterizing risks associated with individual and neighborhood factors.
The review revealed an absence of interventions addressing economic stability, access to education, and the broader community context and social risks in connection with cardiovascular disease. Consequently, the full potential of leveraging social determinants of health data to alleviate the burden of cardiovascular conditions still needs to be explored.
Source: ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.123.030571
