Increasing Rural Nursing Students’ Awareness of the Social Determinants of Health

Abstract

Purpose:The social determinants of health (SDOH) include factors such as poverty, lack of access to health care, educational barriers, stigma, and racism which can contribute to health disparities and inequities. Minorities, rural communities, and underserved populations are disproportionately affected by SDOH. Nursing students must become aware of the SDOH in order to provide highquality, holistic, patient-centered care to patients and their families. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a case-based workshop on undergraduate and graduate nursing students' knowledge and attitudes about the social determinants of health. Sample: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) students from a public, liberal arts university in the rural, southeastern United States participated in the project. Method: Demographic information and survey data were obtained from participating undergraduate and graduate nursing students to assess the impact of a case-based SDOH workshop on their knowledge and attitudes about the SDOH. Findings: Five of the nine scored survey items had statistically significant differences in pre-and post-survey ranked scores. Increased student response scores were noted on items about SDOH knowledge and attitudes, including awareness of SDOH and vulnerable populations, knowledge of how social determinants and economic factors influence health, and confidence with working with vulnerable populations in the future. Four themes were apparent from analysis of the three open-ended questions: Awareness of Resources, Social Worker Perspective, Awareness of Social Determinants of Health, and Importance of Empathy.