93 - Improving Social Determinants of Health Screening in a Pediatric Primary Care Clinic through a Student-Led Initiative

Publication Number: 4091.93

Autumn Leavitt, UConn Health, Haddam, CT, United States; Aydin Calsetta, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, United States; Gaganjot Bedi, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, West Hartford, CT, United States; Radha Patel, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Meriden, CT, United States; Christopher Steele, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States; Anton Alerte, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, West Hartford, CT, United States; Eileen Mercurio, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Hartford, CT, United States

Background: Social determinants of health (SDoH) significantly impact pediatric health outcomes, yet routine screening and resource connection remain inconsistent in clinical settings. In an adult patient population, an established pre-professional training program has successfully utilized student volunteers to screen for and address SDoH. However, this model had not yet been attempted with pediatric caregivers.

Objective: This quality improvement project aimed to implement the use of pre-health student volunteers in a pediatric patient population to enhance SDoH screening rates, identify social barriers, and improve patient access to community resources by direct resource connection.

Design/Methods: The project was implemented in an urban, outpatient pediatric clinic where trained pre-health student volunteers conducted in-person PRAPARE SDoH screenings with caregivers of established pediatric patients. Volunteers screened for unmet social needs and, for those interested, provided pre-vetted community resource referrals to eligible caregivers through a warm handoff method at the time of the medical visit. Data was collected on screening participation, identified barriers, and resource acceptance rates.

Results: Between September 2024 and April 2025, volunteers approached 311 caregivers. Of those, 261 (83.9%) consented to participate. Among participants, 165 (63.2%) reported at least one unmet social need. Based on the screenings, 49 (29.7%) were unemployed, 22 (13.3%) did not have housing, 32 (19.4%) were concerned about losing their housing, 23 (13.9%) did not complete high school or a GED, 42 (25.4%) faced transportation insecurity, and 31 (18.8%) were actively using tobacco products. Additionally, participants reported that they were unable to obtain at least one of the following: 24 (14.5%) childcare, 44 (26.7%) food, 42 (25.4%) utilities, 13 (7.9%) medicine or health care, 12 (7.3%) phone access, and 33 (20.0%) diapers.

Conclusion(s): Integrating trained student volunteers into SDoH screening processes within a pediatric primary care setting demonstrated high caregiver participation and resource acceptance rates. The findings support the feasibility and scalability of this approach in similar clinical settings to address social barriers affecting pediatric health outcomes, while providing meaningful direct patient care experiences for those interested in medical careers. This program also provided valuable opportunities for additional quality improvement initiatives such as identifying and addressing contributors to patient no-show rates.