Hernandez MI, Miller EC, Biese KM, Columna L, Andreae S, McGuine TA, Snedden TR, Eberman LE, Bell DR. Secondary School Athletic Trainers' Perceptions of the Influence of Social Determinants of Health and Socioeconomic Status on Clinical Management Decisions.
J Athl Train 2024;
59:388-393. [PMID:
37459372 PMCID:
PMC11064109 DOI:
10.4085/1062-6050-0445.22]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT
Evidence suggests that lower socioeconomic status (SES) and negative social determinants of health (SDOH) contribute to health care disparities. Due to their accessibility in the high school setting, secondary school athletic trainers (SSATs) may encounter patients who are historically underserved in health care, such as patients with low SES. However, a significant gap in knowledge exists regarding how SDOH and SES may influence SSATs' clinical management decisions.
OBJECTIVES
To describe SSATs' perceptions of how patient SDOH and SES influence clinical management decisions and to identify barriers to athletic health care.
DESIGN
Cross-sectional study.
SETTING
Online survey.
PARTICIPANTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS
National Athletic Trainers' Association SSATs (6.7% response rate).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)
Secondary school athletic trainers were asked about their perceptions of patient SDOH and SES (content validity index = 0.83 for relevancy). The levels of relevance and agreement were answered on a 4-point Likert scale. Data were summarized using means and SDs, frequencies and proportions (%), and median scores.
RESULTS
A total of 380 SSATs participated (mean years of experience = 14.9 ± 11.7 years). When providing care, most (71.3%) SSATs believed their patients' health or health care access to be the most relevant of the 5 SDOH, whereas the other 4 SDOH were less than 60% relevant. Most SSATs agreed or strongly agreed that patient SES affected both referral (67.4%) and the reliance on conservative treatment before referral (71.2%). Secondary school athletic trainers identified patient or guardian compliance (70.2%) and type of health insurance (61.5%) as barriers to providing care to patients with low SES.
CONCLUSIONS
Secondary school athletic trainers perceived health or health care access as the most relevant social determinant when providing care to patients with low SES. When SSATs further considered the SES of patients, they identified all SDOH as barriers that they were ill equipped to navigate as they delivered care and engaged in patient referral.
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