3 Tools to Screen for Non-Medical Drivers of Health (NMDoH)

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As more healthcare systems start to screen patients for non-medical drivers of health (NMDoH), we at Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio are spotlighting why screening for NMDoH is so important to improve health outcomes for all people, including Latinos.

Today, we are sharing three NMDoH screening tools that can help address NMDoH-related needs, or the non-medical challenges to health, of all patients.

You can use these screening tools – questionnaires that gather information from patients – in your healthcare facility or use them as inspiration to create your own screening tool.

Let’s dive into these health-changing tools!

The Protocol for Responding to and Assessing Patients’ Assets, Risks, and Experiences (PRAPARE®)

PRAPARE® helps health centers and other providers better understand their patients’ NMDoH-related needs and how to meet those needs.

PRAPARE® is available in over 25 different languages and includes questions about the patients’ family and home environment, money and resources, emotional health, and more.

PRAPARE® was developed by the National Association of Community Health Centers, the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, the Oregon Primary Care Association, and the Institute for Alternative Futures.

Download PRAPARE®!

You can also use the PRAPARE® Implementation and Action Toolkit to learn how to implement PREPARE® in your facility.

Learn how PRAPARE® came about!

American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) NMDoH Screening Tool

AAFP developed its screening tool in 2018 as part of the EveryONE Project, which aims to advance health in all communities.

The screening tool is available in English and is designed to be implemented by a variety of healthcare professionals, including receptionists/medical assistants, family physicians, nurses, physician assistants, health educators, and community health workers.

Topics covered in the screening tool include housing, transportation, food, childcare, employment, finances, and personal safety.

Download AAFP’s Social Needs Screening Tool

Learn more about AAFP’S Social Needs Screening Tool

Kaiser Permanente’s Your Current Life Situation (YCLS) Survey

Kaiser Permanente, a healthcare company, created the YCLS survey in 2018 to measure a range of economic needs, including access to affordable housing, food, childcare, medical and dental care, and transportation.

The 32-question survey also explores NMDoH-related needs, such as patient stress levels, caregiving responsibilities, and community/family support systems.

The survey can be administered verbally, on paper, or electronically in English.

Download the scored survey (yellow highlights indicate responses that are positive for needs, meaning the patient may benefit from additional resources, such as a referral, advice, or an alteration of care.)

Download the non-scored survey

Why Screen for NMDoH?

NMDoH are the conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work, and age.

These non-medical factors can impact our ability to live a healthy life, including access to healthy food, transportation to maintain employment, and affordable medication.

If not addressed, NMDoH-related needs can cause and worsen health conditions.

“The impact [of NMDoH] is pervasive and deeply embedded in our society, creating [issues] in access to a range of … benefits – such as housing, education, wealth, and employment. These [issues] put people at higher risk of poor health,” according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

Fortunately, when patients are screened for needs at their medical appointments, healthcare providers can identify ways to address those needs and their root causes, ultimately improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.

How Can You Figure Out Your Local NMDoH Issues?

How is the state of health in your community?

Find out by downloading a Salud America! Health Report Card for your town!

Enter your county name and get auto-generated local data with interactive maps and comparative gauges on several health indicators. This can help you visualize and explore local issues in education, housing, transportation, food, health, and more.

See how your county stacks up compared to the rest of your state and nation.

Then email the Report Card to local leaders to raise awareness, include the data in a presentation or grant proposal, or share it on social media to drive healthy change in your community!

Get your Health Report Card!

Start Screening for the Non-Medical Drivers of Health (NMDoH)!

The non-medical drivers of health (NMDoH), like income, housing, and food, can influence health for better or worse.

That’s why we need to screen for the non-medical drivers of health.

NMDoH Screening means that a questionnaire is given to patients in a healthcare setting to help providers identify patient needs outside the healthcare setting. Patients can then be referred to helpful community resources.

Use the Salud America! Action Pack, “How to Screen for NMDoH in Healthcare,” to develop a screening program in your clinic, hospital, or healthcare system.

The action pack, developed by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez at UT Health San Antonio, has a conversation-starting model email, fact sheet, checklist on how to develop screening, and a guide on existing screening tools for NMDoH.

Get your ACTION PACK!