Assessing social determinants of health competencies among nurses

BACKGROUND: Multiple national nursing organizations have advocated for improving health professionals' understanding of social determinants of health (SDOH) to enhance healthcare access, quality, and outcomes. 

PURPOSE: This project developed a self-assessment questionnaire to evaluate nursing professionals' self-perceptions of competencies in addressing SDOH, as few tools exist to measure this. 

METHODS: A total of 690 nurses completed the 23-item questionnaire. FINDINGS: In total, 690 nurses answered the SDOH self-assessment questionnaire. Cronbach's Alpha was 0.99. Nurses reported the highest competencies in health literacy, access to primary care, and nutritious foods. The lowest competencies were in addressing immigration status, climate change, and civic participation. 

DISCUSSION: The questionnaire demonstrated high internal consistency and reliability, with variation observed across different SDOH topics. Targeted education is needed to improve knowledge in addressing the more challenging SDOH factors.