How social interventions can be powerful medicine

One simple question can offer clinicians a powerful insight into the lives of their vulnerable patients. Asking, “Do you ever have trouble making ends meet at the end of the month” can help physicians identify significant barriers to restoring the health of their patients.

The link between the social conditions in which we live and health outcomes is well-known. However, health provider action to address the social determinants of health is an emerging area of practice innovation and research. This episode looks at what social prescribing looks like in action and what the evidence tells us about its effectiveness.

Drs. Mojola Omole and Blair Bigham speak with Janet Rodriguez, a patient at St. Michael’s Family Health Care Clinic in Toronto. She describes the profound impact social interventions had on her physical and mental health.  

They also speak with Dr. Gary Bloch, a family physician at St. Michael’s Family Health Care Clinic and a co-author of the analysis published in CMAJ titled “An Evidence-Based Guide to Social Interventions in Primary Care.”

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The CMAJ Podcast is produced by PodCraft Productions