What inspired you to pursue research on social determinants of health in primary care settings?
Growing up in Ecuador, I experienced life from a position of privilege. However, moving to the United States gave me a profound perspective shift as I began experiencing structural biases and discrimination firsthand, particularly as an immigrant. I encountered challenges accessing health insurance and faced discrimination when people heard my accent. Despite my preventive medicine training preparing me to apply for research grants, my immigration status made me ineligible for federal funding and most grants outside of BMC for nearly seven years. Fortunately, BMC recognized the value of my work and provided me with the time and resources needed to pursue my passion. This experience deepened my motivation to study how we can ensure everyone has access to the essential resources needed for health and wellbeing - from affordable housing and nutritious food to quality education.
What is the goal of your current project?
My research focuses on finding practical solutions to address social determinants of health and create meaningful systemic change. We recently received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a triage tool that helps predict what support a patient will require to address an unmet social need. Patients in BMC primary care settings are already assessed using the THRIVE screening tool. If they have an unmet social need, they are either given access to an information guide, a patient navigator that shares tailored resources, or a community health worker that provides hands on support. But we don’t know which patients will benefit most from these different support systems. Our research will pilot and assess an innovative way to maximize the connectedness of patients with type 2 diabetes to resources that help address their unmet social needs. While our pilot project will focus on one specific patient group, the findings should be broadly applicable to other patient populations. By understanding how to better equip patients with the resources that they need, as well as working with social service organizations to assess outcomes, we can improve the health of our patients and enable them to thrive.
How does your research impact patients?
Social needs greatly impact health. I want to meet patients where they are when they have a social need, and not assume that I know how they want their needs addressed. This patient-centered approach, tailored to an individual’s needs, can help improve health outcomes for everyone.