Comfort with SDOH data exchange depends on quality of care, treatment

Editor's Note

Most patients in the US (60%) are comfortable with healthcare organizations sharing their social determinants of health (SDOH) information for treatment purposes, EHR Intelligence October 26 reports. However, the article notes, four in 10 Americans still report hesitation around this data exchange.

According to the Health Information National Trends Survey, which asked about respondents’ comfort with social needs data sharing for the first time in 2022, comfort with SDOH data sharing was tied to perceived treatment–it was significantly lower among those who felt they had received poor quality of care compared to those who felt they received very good care. American patients with little or no trust in the healthcare system, or who had experienced discrimination, also had low comfort levels with sharing SDOH data. 

The three social needs data types included in the survey were food, housing, and transportation. The researchers emphasize that exchange of SDOH data is critical for observing health trends and improving population health.