# SDOH? What's that? My doc says I need one

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdoh-whats-that-my-doc-says-i-need-one/954690>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 20, 2021, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdoh-whats-that-my-doc-says-i-need-one/954690 "2021-11-20T22:35:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2021, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdoh-whats-that-my-doc-says-i-need-one/954690/1 "2021-11-20T22:35:08Z")

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I just got the after-visit notes from my cardiologist. Among the other stuff was “SDOH Never done, overdue.” He didn’t mention it in the visit, and I’ve never heard of it before.

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**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2021, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdoh-whats-that-my-doc-says-i-need-one/954690/2 "2021-11-20T22:37:42Z")

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Google says it’s “[Social Determinants of Health](https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health),” which makes sense if you’ve been seeing a cardiologist.

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**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdoh-whats-that-my-doc-says-i-need-one/954690/3 "2021-11-29T19:51:58Z")

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And in case it isn’t clear, the thing that wasn’t done and is overdue is to ask you about your social situation and record your answers in your medical records. Are you homeless? Isolated? Impoverished? Do you have access to food and transportation? That sort of thing. A good practice may also take steps to actually address problems by referring patients to social service providers.

Consideration of social determinants of health during care is sort of recent and practices are still evolving. A few years ago, this information, if recorded at all, was almost always recorded in intake forms attached to your record, often in formats unavailable for automated reporting. Today, there is increasing use of actual diagnostic codes included in the “problem list” portion of your health records.

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdoh-whats-that-my-doc-says-i-need-one/954690/4 "2021-11-29T21:06:08Z")

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Thank you for that more detailed answer. Most of the factors you mentioned are not a problem for me, but I am isolated. I really have no in-person friends.