Social Prescribing Flashcards
Define Health
A state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing. Not just the absence of disease or infirmity
What is a general definition of ‘social determinants of health’?
The conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power and resources at local, national and global levels. They are responsible for health inequities, which are the unfair (yet avoidable) differences in health outcomes between different social groups and geographical regions.
Name some examples of social determinants of health
Access to food/Food insecurity Employment and income/Poverty Ethnicity Housing conditions Sexuality Gender Education Social interaction/Isolation War/Peace Childhood - including in utero
What is intersectionality?
The compounding effect of being disadvantaged in more than one social determinant of health
What is the Medical Model of treating disease?
All disorders have an organic/physical cause which can be treated with pharmaceuticals e.g. even mental disorders are due to chemical imbalances that can be treated with drugs
What are the issues with only working to the medical model?
It is very expensive - the NHS cannot afford to treat all conditions this way, especially due to population growth/ageing population
Development of new treatments is also very expensive
Not effective at treating the cause of problems that arise from a social determinant of health - even though these problems still impact demand for medical services e.g. domestic abuse
Focuses on treating symptoms rather than causes of disease
The most debilitating part of a disease might be the social problems it leads to rather than the physical symptoms
What is the definition of social prescribing?
A mechanism for linking primary care patients with non-medical sources of support in their local community. Designed to address social determinants of health
How is social prescribing used/delivered/implemented by GPs?
GP refers patients either directly or through a link worker to services. Might be the only treatment, in conjunction with medical treatment, or whilst waiting for medical treatment.
Name some examples of social prescriptions
Artistic/Singing/Music workshops Bibliotherapy/Self help books Educational/CV improvement Exercise referral (Green Scripts) Green gyms Time banks Support groups
In which circumstances has research indicated that social prescribing is most beneficial?
Exercise prescriptions
Vulnerable people, the elderly, women aged 40+
For chronic conditions for which there is no clear diagnosis
Mild anxiety/depression
What are some reasons why patients might be in favour of social prescribing?
Opportunity to try new activities
Non-pharmaceutical/’Natural’
GP recommended
What are some reasons why patients might not be in favour of social prescribing?
Social anxiety
Time constraints
No faith due to lack of evidence
Cannot attend due to the social determinant that made them require it
What are the limitations surrounding the current research on social prescribing?
Low level, anecdotal
Small scale
Poorly designed
High drop-out rates
Not peer reviewed
Carried out by charities rather than academic groups
Too different in design for systematic reviews
No control groups
Qualitative data rather than quantitative
