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November 2017 Research Round-Up

Below are recent additions to our growing, searchable Evidence Library.

Implementation and Impact of an Online Tool Used in Primary Care to Improve Access to Financial Benefits for Patients: A Study Protocol
A. Aery, A. Rucchetto, A. Singer, et al. | BMJ Open
This paper describes the study protocol for an evaluation of an online tool designed to improve primary care patients’ access to financial benefits.

Fostering a "Feeling of Worth" Among Vulnerable HIV Populations: The Role of Linkage to Care Specialists
M.R. Broaddus, J. Owczarzak, C. Schumann, & K.A. Koester | AIDS Patient Care and STDs
This study examines the experiences of HIV-diagnosed patients working with Linkage to Care Specialists that provide intensive short-term case management and patient navigation services, including services related to housing, financial assistance, and other social determinants of health.

A Bold Goal: More Healthy Days Through Improved Community Health
T. Cordier, Y. Song, J. Cambon, et al. | Population Health Management
This paper reports results from the first year of tracking Humana’s Bold Goal initiative to improve health by 20% in the communities they serve by 2020. It describes two case examples that illustrate how identifying associations between social determinants of health and health influences company strategy.

Screening for Food Insecurity: Short-Term Alleviation and Long-Term Prevention
D. Cutts & J. Cook | American Journal of Public Health
The authors discuss the importance of screening patients for food insecurity in clinical settings using the validated Hunger Vital Sign and the evidence-based household-level interventions that can alleviate the condition.

Homeless and Older Veterans May Be At Risk for Malnutrition and Food Insecurity
N. Lutwak & C. Dill | Population Health Management
The authors highlight the importance of screening for food insecurity in Veteran’s Affairs clinics and suggest interventions to decrease the risk of malnutrition and hunger among their vulnerable patients.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Two Food Insecurity Screeners Recommended for Use in Health Care Settings
J.A. Makelarski, E. Abramsohn, J.H. Benjamin, S. Du, & S.T. Lindau | American Journal of Public Health
This diagnostic accuracy study found that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended adaptation of the validated 2-item Hunger Vital Sign food insecurity screener missed nearly 25% of food-insecure adults and significantly lowers sensitivity.

Documenting Community Health Worker Roles in Primary Care: Contributions to Evidence-Based Integration into Health Care Teams
K.M. Reinschmidt, M. Ingram, S. Morales, et al. | The Journal of Ambulatory Care Management
This qualitative study documents community health worker roles and activities in three federally qualified health care centers in southern Arizona.

Investing in Housing for Health Improves Both Mission and Margin
M. Sandel & M. Desmond | JAMA
The authors articulate the importance of housing-based approaches to health care and the broad partnerships needed between health and housing sectors to address rising housing costs, inefficient health care spending, and the social determinants of health.

A Hybrid III Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomized Trial Testing an Implementation Strategy to Facilitate the Use of an Evidence-Based Practice in VA Homeless Primary Care Treatment Programs
M.M. Simmons, S. Gabrielian, T. Byrne, et al. | Implementation Science
This research protocol describes a study to identify an appropriate implementation strategy for a wraparound intervention designed to address the needs of homeless veterans with co-occuring mental health and substance use disorders into the Department of Veterans Affairs specialzed Homeless patient Alignment Care Teams (HPACT).

Identifying Social-Behavioral Health Needs of Adults with Sickle Cell Disease in the Emergency Department
S.K. Smith, J. Johnston, C. Rutherford, R. Hollowell, & P. Tanabe | Journal of Emergency Nursing
This emergency room-based study examines the unmet social-behavioral health needs of adults with sickle cell disease.

Integrating Social Context into Comprehensive Shared Care Plans: A Scoping Review
S.S. Sullivan, F. Mistretta, S. Casucci, & S. Hewner | Nursing Outlook
This scoping review identifies an evidence gap in the literature around integrating social determinants of health into comprehensive shared care plans (CSCP) to improve care continuity and health outcomes.

Screening for Social Determinants of Health in Populations with Complex Needs: Implementation Considerations
C. Thomas-Henkel & M. Schulman | Center for Health Care Strategies
This brief examines how organizations participating in Transforming Complex Care, a multi-site national initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, are assessing and addressing social determinants of health for populations with complex needs.

Improving Care for High-Need, High-Cost Patients
Health Research & Educational Trust
This brief presents examples of how thought leaders are improving care for high-need, high cost patients and highlights the first two guides on housingand food insecurity in a series of resources from the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) and the Association for Community Health Improvement (AHI) on how hospitals can address the social determinants of health.

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