Evaluating Interprofessional Competencies and Knowledge of and Confidence in Addressing Social Determinants of Health

Abstract

Promoting health requires coordinated, team-based interventions responsive to multiple determinants of health. This study aimed to determine if interprofessional competencies and knowledge of and confidence in addressing the social determinants of health improved following an interprofessional learning event. A two-group randomized controlled trial was used to determine study outcomes among 408 health science students from 14 health profession programs in the Midwest. Formed groups were randomly assigned to the customary medical-based (control) or social determinants of health focused (experimental) case study. In small groups students engaged in a case study simulation and offered recommendations for intervention. Small improvements in knowledge of the social determinants of health were found among participants in both groups. Interprofessional competencies largely showed no significant differences between using the case study which emphasized social determinants of health compared to a medically based case study. The suggestions for interventions resulted in more frequent recommendations related to socioeconomic status and access to health care among students in the experimental group versus the recommendation of medically based health services among students in the control group. Additional qualitative research is recommended to learn more about how groups collaborated to form these recommendations.

Keywords

• social determinants of health
• interprofessional education