?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F21091%2F&rft.title=Birmingham+health+links%3A+addressing+social+determinants+of+health+in+the+clinical+setting&rft.creator=Sloan%2C+Jennifer&rft.description=Background+A+recent+body+of+evidence+suggests+that+addressing+social+determinants+of+health+in+the+clinical+setting+improves+health+status+and+helps+reach+health+targets%2C+a+topic+of+important++public+health+significance.+The+Birmingham+Free+Clinic+(BFC)+in+Pittsburgh%E2%80%99s+South+Side+recently+implemented+Birmingham+Health+Links+(BHL)%2C+a+program+to+address+patient%E2%80%99s+social+determinants+of+health.+With+nearly+half+of+Birmingham+patients+considered+homeless+and+over+90%25+living+below+the+federal+poverty+level%2C+BFC+serves+some+of+the+city%E2%80%99s+most+vulnerable.%0D%0AProgram+Description+BHL+is+a+social+services+help+desk+modeled+after+Health+Leads%2C+Inc+that+trains+student+volunteers+to+help+patients+address+the+broader+social+factors+that+influence+health+such+as+employment%2C+food+security+and+housing.+Students+engage+with+patients+one-on-one+to+understand+their+situation%2C+create+an+individualized+action+plan+and+follow-up+on+a+weekly+basis+by+phone+until+the+patients%E2%80%99+needs+are+met+to+the+patient%E2%80%99s+satisfaction.+%0D%0AMethods+A+program+evaluation+included+an+analysis+of+patient+case+files%2C+a+patient+phone+survey+using+the+Client+Satisfaction+Questionnaire-8+(CSQ-8)%2C+and+a+qualitative+analysis+of+students%E2%80%99+weekly+reflections.+%0D%0AResults+During+the+first+6+months+of+the+program%2C+23%25+of+unique+clinic+patients+used+the+BHL+help+desk.+The+top+three+needs+were+housing+assistance+(26%25)%2C+food+assistance+(18%25)+and+employment+(16%25).+Twenty+percent+of+cases+(n%3D80)+were+closed+because+needs+were+met+and+59%25+were+lost+to+follow+up+after+the+initial+encounter.+The+phone+survey+(n%3D14)+found+that+patients+were+quite+satisfied+with+their+experience.+The+analysis+of+student+reflections+(n%3D166)+found+that+many+students+noted+personal+and+professional+growth%2C+a+new+understanding+and+appreciation+for+social+determinants+of+health+and+a+shift+in+their+career+path+to+include+work+with+underserved+populations+as+a+result+of+this+experience.+%0D%0AConclusion+This+model+of+addressing+social+determinants+of+health+in+a+clinical+setting+shows+great+promise+for+being+welcomed+by+patients%2C+for+providing+future+health+professionals+with+an+applied+understanding+of+the+importance+of+social+determinants+on+health+and+shows+feasibility+due+to+it%E2%80%99s+low+annual+budget.+%0D%0A&rft.date=2014-06-27&rft.type=University+of+Pittsburgh+ETD&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F21091%2F1%2FSloan_J_Thesis_2014.pdf&rft.identifier=++Sloan%2C+Jennifer++(2014)+Birmingham+health+links%3A+addressing+social+determinants+of+health+in+the+clinical+setting.++Master's+Thesis%2C+University+of+Pittsburgh.++++(Unpublished)++