Who is in Your Waiting Room? Social Determinants of Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences in Pediatric Surgery Clinics

In brief

This study examines social determinants of health and adverse childhood experiences among pediatric surgical patients in outpatient and community settings. The research demonstrates practical approaches for identifying and addressing social factors that impact surgical outcomes in vulnerable pediatric populations.

• Social determinants of health significantly impact pediatric surgical patients but remain poorly characterized in this population.
• Screening for SDoH and ACEs in outpatient surgical clinics is feasible and can identify unmet social needs.
• Community and outreach clinic settings may reveal higher prevalence of social risk factors affecting surgical outcomes.
• Addressing SDoH in preoperative care may improve health equity and postoperative outcomes for vulnerable pediatric patients.
• Integrating SDoH assessment into surgical workflows enables targeted interventions and resource allocation.

Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.