Using Social Determinants to Promote Health Equity During a Crisis

Interoperability issues, poor care coordination, and a lack of funding has hindered social determinants of health data integration, leading to gaps in care and health disparities for individuals and whole communities.

With the sudden onset of COVID-19, these gaps and disparities have only grown wider. Individuals living with chronic disease, people in underserved areas, and minority populations have been hit the hardest during the pandemic, highlighting underlying issues that have plagued the industry for years. 

Research recently published in JAMA showed that hypertension, obesity, and diabetes are key chronic conditions in the acuity of the virus. In another study, a team from the Commonwealth Fund revealed that COVID-19 is more prevalent and deadly in US counties with higher black populations.