Giving Compass' Take:

• Jacqueline Renfrow reports that a study has revealed the patients and medical professionals understand social determinants of health differently, creating communication gaps. 

• How can funders work to close the gaps identified here? How can education help to reduce miscommunication and increase understanding? 

• Learn about addressing social determinants of health. 

Individuals who are living with chronic or acute conditions have a much different view of the social determinants of health (SDOH) compared with researchers and the media, according to a new study out of the Anthem Public Policy Institute.

Individuals are focused on daily influences such as finding the right doctor and nutritional food, while researchers focus on more structural factors such as education and income level, according to the report. Partnered with Quid, the report made these determinations by examining the conversations in news articles and academic papers along with patient forums focused on cancer, diabetes and mental health conditions.

“By better understanding how individuals view and talk about social determinants, payers and providers alike can identify new and improved ways to engage with them to more effectively improve their health and well-being and the delivery of healthcare,” Jennifer Kowalski, vice president of the Anthem Public Policy Institute, said in a statement.

Read the full article about understanding social determinants of health by Jacqueline Renfrow at Healthcare News.