Journal of general internal medicine
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Social determinants of health (SDOH) are associated with poor health outcomes among individuals with prevalent diseases. ⋯ In this study of community-dwelling US adults without major chronic diseases, social risks were more strongly associated with mortality than healthcare access. Our findings challenge the conventional healthcare-centric approach to preventative care, emphasizing the need for proactive public health interventions targeting SDOH.
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As part of a continuing medical education activity, primary care physicians in Arizona were asked to draw how they feel about treating patients with chronic pain and addiction. Their drawings, complete with cliffs, walls, torn-out hair, and connected hearts, make for a harrowing look at burnout, angst, and empathy among physicians who treat this subset of patients. Public health and exercise facilitators were troubled, leading them to publish this essay along with a selection of the drawings that depict the feelings of the physicians who feel ill-prepared to treat this patient population, which is only growing in number and needs.