5. Addressing social determinants of health
- Date: Friday, October 9, 2020
- Concurrent Session F
- Time: 11:00 am -11:45 am
- Style: Live Workshop
- Focus: Balance between both (e.g. Presentation of a best-practice guideline that combines research evidence, policy issues and practical steps for implementation)
- Target Audience: Leadership, Administrative staff, Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations
Learning Objectives
- Understand the impact of COVID on socially marginalized groups and individuals
- Through a critical exploration of 3 case studies, examine diverse approaches to the COVID pandemic for those who experience social marginalization.
- Discuss ways in which the pandemic response can help shape future health provider approaches to health inequities.
Summary/Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic and the public health and social policies intended to mitigate its impact have had disproportionately negative impacts on socially marginalized individuals and communities, including people who live at low income, people without adequate housing, and people who are racialized.
In this workshop, we explore three case studies, focusing on approaches to addressing the needs of people living with social risks to their health.
The St. Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT created a multi-faceted approach to addressing health and social care needs for individuals. These include systematic outreach through wellness checks, funds to address social needs, and dissemination of social and community resources.
A unique partnership between public health, primary care, government and community agencies resulted in a program to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness during COVID. This program includes social distancing by moving people out of shelters, recovery sites for individuals with COVID, population-based outreach testing, and a risk stratification process to identify and isolate people most likely to suffer severe effects from COVID.
During the pandemic, health providers have engaged in social policy advocacy and commentary related to issues including income supports, housing, systemic racism and the needs of uninsured individuals and migrant labourers. In the context of a pandemic, this advocacy has highlighted the unique and powerful voice of health providers in working towards healthy social change.
This workshop will allow participants to explore the application of lessons learned from these case studies to their own health care settings, during and after the pandemic.
Presenters
- Gary Bloch, Family Physician, St. Michael's Hospital Academic Family Health Team and Inner City Health Associates
- Ritika Goel, Family Physician, St. Michael's Hospital Academic Family Health Team and Inner City Health Associates
- Noor Ramji, Family Physician, St. Michael's Hospital Academic Family Health Team
Authors
- Sue Hranilovic, Nurse Practitioner, St. Michael's Hospital Academic Family Health Team
- Alyssa Swartz, Social Worker, St. Michael's Hospital Academic Family Health Team
- Katie Dorman, Family Physician, St. Michael's Hospital Academic Family Health Team