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Research Studies is a monthly compilation of research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers and recently published in journals or newsletters.
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1 to 25 of 60 Research Studies Displayed
Walter LA, Schoenfeld EM, Smith CH
Emergency department-based interventions affecting social determinants of health in the United States: a scoping review.
Emergency departments (EDs) function as the safety nets of the American health care system, caring for many vulnerable populations. ED-based interventions to assess social risk and mitigate social needs have been reported in the literature. However, the breadth and scope of these interventions have not been evaluated. As the field of social emergency medicine (SEM) expands, a mapping and categorization of previous interventions may help shape future research. In this study, the investigators sought to identify, summarize, and characterize ED-based interventions aimed at mitigating negative social determinants of health.
AHRQ-funded; HS025701; HS013852.
Citation:
Walter LA, Schoenfeld EM, Smith CH .
Emergency department-based interventions affecting social determinants of health in the United States: a scoping review.
Acad Emerg Med 2021 Jun;28(6):666-74. doi: 10.1111/acem.14201..
Keywords:
Emergency Department, Social Determinants of Health, Vulnerable Populations, Low-Income
Dickinson-Copeland CM, Immergluck LC, Britez M
Increased risk of sub-clinical blood lead levels in the 20-county metro Atlanta, Georgia area-a laboratory surveillance-based study.
This study looked at the distribution of blood lead levels (BLLs) in children aged 0-72 months and their associations with sociodemographic and area-level variables. Data from the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Healthy Homes for Lead Prevention Program surveillance data was used to describe the distribution of BLLs in metro Atlanta area children from 2010 to 2018. Residential addresses were geocoded and if BLLs were spatially clustered they were defined at “Hotspots”. Geographically defined hotspots for both clinical (≥5 µg/dL) and sub-clinical (2 to <5 µg/dL) BLLs diffused from the city-central area into suburban areas. Predictors of sub-clinical BLL levels from those with lower (<2 µg/dL) or higher ((≥5 µg/dL) BLLs included non-Medicaid insurance, the proportion of renters in a given geographical area, and proportion of individuals with a GED/high school diploma. Over half of the study children had sub-clinical BLL levels, a range that does not currently trigger public health measures but could result in adverse development outcomes if ignored.
AHRQ-funded; HS024338.
Citation:
Dickinson-Copeland CM, Immergluck LC, Britez M .
Increased risk of sub-clinical blood lead levels in the 20-county metro Atlanta, Georgia area-a laboratory surveillance-based study.
Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021 May 13;18(10). doi: 10.3390/ijerph18105163..
Keywords:
Newborns/Infants, Children/Adolescents, Social Determinants of Health, Public Health, Public Health
Lacson R, Shi J, Kapoor N
Exacerbation of inequities in use of diagnostic radiology during the early stages of reopening after COVID-19.
Researchers assessed diagnostic radiology examination utilization and associated social determinants of health during the early stages of reopening after state-mandated shutdown of nonurgent services because of COVID-19. They found that, despite resumption of nonurgent services, a marked decrease in radiology examination utilization persisted in all care settings post-shutdown, with more significantly decreased odds ratios for having examinations in inpatient and outpatient settings versus in the emergency department. Inequities worsened, with patients from communities with high rates of poverty, unemployment, and chronic disease having significantly lower odds of undergoing radiology examinations post-shutdown. Patients of Asian race and Hispanic ethnicity had significantly lower odds ratios for having examinations post-shutdown compared with White and non-Hispanic patients, respectively.
AHRQ-funded; HS024722.
Citation:
Lacson R, Shi J, Kapoor N .
Exacerbation of inequities in use of diagnostic radiology during the early stages of reopening after COVID-19.
J Am Coll Radiol 2021 May;18(5):696-703. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2020.12.009..
Keywords:
COVID-19, Disparities, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Social Determinants of Health
Kim D, Lee Y, Thorsness R
Racial and ethnic disparities in excess deaths among persons with kidney failure during the COVID-19 pandemic, March-July 2020.
This national study estimated excess deaths for the kidney failure population by race and ethnicity from March 1 through August 1, 2020. Findings showed that, among the US kidney failure population, the number of excess deaths was 16% higher than expected, similar to reports for the general population. However, results showed that the relative increase in deaths among Black and Hispanic patients was more than 4-fold higher than that observed among White patients. The magnitude of these disparities was larger than corresponding relative ratios reported among COVID-19–associated deaths in the general population.
AHRQ-funded; HS028285.
Citation:
Kim D, Lee Y, Thorsness R .
Racial and ethnic disparities in excess deaths among persons with kidney failure during the COVID-19 pandemic, March-July 2020.
Am J Kidney Dis 2021 May;77(5):827-29. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2021.02.003..
Keywords:
COVID-19, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Mortality, Kidney Disease and Health, Chronic Conditions, Social Determinants of Health
Javalkar K, Robson VK, Gaffney L
Socioeconomic and racial and/or ethnic disparities in multisystem inflammatory syndrome.
Researchers characterized the socioeconomic and racial and/or ethnic disparities impacting the diagnosis and outcomes of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). They found that lower socioeconomic status or higher social vulnerability index, Hispanic ethnicity, and Black race independently increased risk for MIS-C. They recommended additional studies to target interventions to improve health equity for children.
AHRQ-funded; HS000063.
Citation:
Javalkar K, Robson VK, Gaffney L .
Socioeconomic and racial and/or ethnic disparities in multisystem inflammatory syndrome.
Pediatrics 2021 May;147(5). doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-039933..
Keywords:
Children/Adolescents, Social Determinants of Health, Socioeconomic Factors, Disparities, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Risk
Duh-Leong C, Dreyer BP, Huang TT
Social capital as a positive social determinant of health: a narrative review.
This paper frames social capital, or the benefits that a child receives from social relationships, as a positive social determinant of health that helps children exposed to adversity achieve healthy outcomes across the life course. Findings showed that pediatric primary care practices play an important role in fostering social relationships between families, the health care system, and the community. Further research was recommended in order to develop definitional and measurement rigor for social capital, to evaluate interventions that may improve health outcomes through social capital, and to broaden understanding of how social relationships influence health outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS022236.
Citation:
Duh-Leong C, Dreyer BP, Huang TT .
Social capital as a positive social determinant of health: a narrative review.
Acad Pediatr 2021 May-Jun;21(4):594-99. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2020.09.013..
Keywords:
Social Determinants of Health
Cullen D, Abel D, Attridge M
Exploring the gap: food insecurity and resource engagement.
Researchers investigated participant interest in referral and engagement with resources provided by pediatric health care institutions implementing food insecurity (FI) screens. They found that, through hospital-community partnership in an initial attempt to screen and offer direct-referral for FI, they elicited considerable interest among families for connection to resource agencies. However, there was a substantial gap between referral acceptance and ultimate connection with the resource agency.
AHRQ-funded; HS026116.
Citation:
Cullen D, Abel D, Attridge M .
Exploring the gap: food insecurity and resource engagement.
Acad Pediatr 2021 Apr;21(3):440-45. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2020.08.005..
Keywords:
Children/Adolescents, Nutrition, Social Determinants of Health
Malhotra NA, Nevar A, Yearby R
Medicaid's EPSDT benefit: an opportunity to improve pediatric screening for social determinants of health.
This paper discusses the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPDST) benefit which is a key component of Medicaid policy intended to define an essential set of services provided to patients age 21 and younger. This qualitative review examines the extent to which EPSDT might be used to implement structured screening to identify environmental and social factors affecting children’s health. Semistructured interviews conducted in 2017 were triangulated with a review of the recent literature to describe how states currently consider the EPSDT benefit with respect to social determinants of health (SDOH) screening. Findings suggest that with sufficient stakeholder advocacy given the evidence supporting social determinants of health as “medically necessary”, EPSDT benefits could be considered as a funding source to incentivize the incorporation of SDOH screening into the basic package of well-child care.
AHRQ-funded; 233201600221A.
Citation:
Malhotra NA, Nevar A, Yearby R .
Medicaid's EPSDT benefit: an opportunity to improve pediatric screening for social determinants of health.
Med Care Res Rev 2021 Apr;78(2):87-102. doi: 10.1177/1077558719874211..
Keywords:
Children/Adolescents, Medicaid, Social Determinants of Health, Screening, Disparities, Policy
Fraiman YS, Litt JS, Davis JM
Racial and ethnic disparities in adult COVID-19 and the future impact on child health.
This article discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children who are racial and ethnic minorities and the disproportionate harm to them. The authors urge that COVID-19-focused research consider racial and ethnic disparity. The paper discusses the lasting and intergenerational impact of COVID-19 on communities of color, especially children, due to increase in stress, material hardship, food insecurity, and long-term school readiness.
AHRQ-funded; HS000063.
Citation:
Fraiman YS, Litt JS, Davis JM .
Racial and ethnic disparities in adult COVID-19 and the future impact on child health.
Pediatr Res 2021 Apr;89(5):1052-54. doi: 10.1038/s41390-021-01377-x..
Keywords:
COVID-19, Children/Adolescents, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Health Status, Social Determinants of Health
Moriya AS, Xu L
The complex relationships among race/ethnicity, social determinants, and opioid utilization.
The objective of this study was to examine individual- and community-level factors associated with racial/ethnic differences in individuals' opioid prescription use. The investigators found that the average annual rate of any outpatient opioid prescription use was higher for non-Hispanic whites than for non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics. The smaller difference between non-Hispanic blacks and whites was not explained by the differences in the risk factors, while almost all the difference between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites could be explained by the differences in the means of the risk factors.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation:
Moriya AS, Xu L .
The complex relationships among race/ethnicity, social determinants, and opioid utilization.
Health Serv Res 2021 Apr;56(2):310-22. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13619..
Keywords:
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Social Determinants of Health, Opioids, Medication, Disparities
Loo S, Brochier A, Wexler MG
Addressing unmet basic needs for children with sickle cell disease in the United States: clinic and staff perspectives.
The purpose of this study was to assess pediatric hematology clinic staff's perspectives regarding barriers and facilitators in addressing unmet basic needs for children with sickle cell disease. Six focus groups were held at urban pediatric hematology clinics in the Northeastern region of the U.S. Four themes emerged: families of children with SCD have numerous unmet basic needs; clinic staff felt they had a role to play in addressing these needs; staff felt their ability to address these needs depended upon caregivers' capacity to act on staff recommendations; clinic staff's ability to address these needs was limited by organizational and systemic factors beyond their control. These findings have important implications for how best to address adverse social determinants of health for this vulnerable pediatric population so that urban-based pediatric hematology clinics can more equitably support families.
AHRQ-funded; HS022242.
Citation:
Loo S, Brochier A, Wexler MG .
Addressing unmet basic needs for children with sickle cell disease in the United States: clinic and staff perspectives.
BMC Health Serv Res 2021 Jan 12;21(1):55. doi: 10.1186/s12913-020-06055-y..
Keywords:
Children/Adolescents, Sickle Cell Disease, Chronic Conditions, Social Determinants of Health, Provider: Clinician, Provider: Physician, Provider, Urban Health
Fraiman YS, Wojcik MH
The influence of social determinants of health on the genetic diagnostic odyssey: who remains undiagnosed, why, and to what effect?
This review article synthesizes the available evidence regarding population disparities in genetic testing for pediatric rare disease diagnosis and identifies gaps in care. The influence of social determinants of health is known, but this study’s goal is to examine the prevalence and nature of disparities in diagnostic testing. It synthesizes the available evidence regarding disparities, defining the need for further, prospective studies.
AHRQ-funded; HS000063.
Citation:
Fraiman YS, Wojcik MH .
The influence of social determinants of health on the genetic diagnostic odyssey: who remains undiagnosed, why, and to what effect?
Pediatr Res 2021 Jan;89(2):295-300. doi: 10.1038/s41390-020-01151-5..
Keywords:
Children/Adolescents, Social Determinants of Health, Genetics, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Diagnosis, Screening, Disparities
Kostelanetz S, Di Gravio C, Schildcrout JS
Should we implement geographic or patient-reported social determinants of health measures in cardiovascular patients.
The authors compared patient-reported social determinants of health (SDOH) to the Brokamp Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and then evaluated the association of patient-reported SDOH and ADI with mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). They found that the Brokamp ADI is associated with mortality in hospitalized patients with CVD. They recommended that, in the absence of available patient-reported data, hospitals implement the Brokamp ADI as an approximation for patient-reported data to enhance risk stratification of patients with CVD.
AHRQ-funded; HS026122.
Citation:
Kostelanetz S, Di Gravio C, Schildcrout JS .
Should we implement geographic or patient-reported social determinants of health measures in cardiovascular patients.
Ethn Dis 2021 Winter;31(1):9-22. doi: 10.18865/ed.31.1.9..
Keywords:
Social Determinants of Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Mortality, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice
Chambers EC, McAuliff KE, Heller CG
Toward understanding social needs among primary care patients with uncontrolled diabetes.
This study examined the relationship between unmet social needs and diabetes among a predominantly Black and Hispanic patient population in a large urban hospital system in Bronx, New York. A total of 5846 patients with diabetes seen at a primary care visit between April 2018 and December 2019 were included and completed a social needs screener. Twenty-two percent of the patient sample had at least 1 unmet social need, with the most prevalent unmet needs being housing issues, food insecurity, and lack of healthcare transportation. Patients with more unmet needs had a greater likelihood of uncontrolled diabetes, with lack of healthcare transportation and food insecurity having the greatest likelihood.
AHRQ-funded; HS026396.
Citation:
Chambers EC, McAuliff KE, Heller CG .
Toward understanding social needs among primary care patients with uncontrolled diabetes.
J Prim Care Community Health 2021 Jan-Dec;12:2150132720985044. doi: 10.1177/2150132720985044..
Keywords:
Diabetes, Chronic Conditions, Primary Care, Vulnerable Populations, Social Determinants of Health
Joyce NR, Pfeiffer MR, Zullo AR
Individual and geographic variation in driver's license suspensions: evidence of disparities by race, ethnicity and income.
Using data from the New Jersey Safety Health Outcomes data warehouse 2004-2018, the authors compared characteristics of suspended drivers, their residential census tract, as well as access to public transportation and jobs, by reason for the suspension. They found that 91% of license suspensions were for non-driving-related events, with the most common reason for a suspension being failure to pay a fine. Non-driving-related suspended drivers lived in census tracts with a lower household median income, higher proportion of black and Hispanic residents and higher unemployment rates, but also better walkability scores and better access to public transportation and jobs. They recommended additional work to determine what effect this has for the social and economic well-being of suspended drivers.
AHRQ-funded; HS022998.
Citation:
Joyce NR, Pfeiffer MR, Zullo AR .
Individual and geographic variation in driver's license suspensions: evidence of disparities by race, ethnicity and income.
J Transp Health 2020 Dec;19. doi: 10.1016/j.jth.2020.100933..
Keywords:
Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Low-Income, Vulnerable Populations, Socioeconomic Factors, Social Determinants of Health
Patel SA, Krasnow M, Long K
Excess 30-day heart failure readmissions and mortality in black patients increases with neighborhood deprivation.
Researchers examined whether neighborhood environment modifies the disparity in 30-day heart failure (HF) readmissions and mortality between Black and White patients in the Southeastern United States. They created a geocoded retrospective cohort of patients hospitalized for acute HF from 2010-2018 within Emory Healthcare. They found that excess 30-day HF readmissions and mortality were present among Black patients in every neighborhood strata and increased with progressive neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026081.
Citation:
Patel SA, Krasnow M, Long K .
Excess 30-day heart failure readmissions and mortality in black patients increases with neighborhood deprivation.
Circ Heart Fail 2020 Dec;13(12):e007947. doi: 10.1161/circheartfailure.120.007947..
Keywords:
Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Hospital Readmissions, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Mortality, Social Determinants of Health, Low-Income, Disparities
Brewster AL, Fraze TK, Gottlieb LM
The role of value-based payment in promoting innovation to address social risks: a cross-sectional study of social risk screening by US physicians.
The authors studied the conditions under which value-based payment will encourage health care providers to innovate to address upstream social risks. Their results indicated that implementation of social risk screening was not associated with overall exposure to value-based payment for physician practices. They recommended expanding social risk screening in order to reduce the level of innovative capacity required.
AHRQ-funded; HS024075.
Citation:
Brewster AL, Fraze TK, Gottlieb LM .
The role of value-based payment in promoting innovation to address social risks: a cross-sectional study of social risk screening by US physicians.
Milbank Q 2020 Dec;98(4):1114-33. doi: 10.1111/1468-0009.12480..
Keywords:
Payment, Social Determinants of Health, Practice Patterns, Innovations and Emerging Issues, Screening, Risk, Value, Socioeconomic Factors, Nutrition, Vulnerable Populations
Pantell MS, Adler-Milstein J, Wang MD
A call for social informatics.
This article discusses the emergence of a new subfield of health informatics, focused on the application of information technologies to capture and apply social data in conjunction with health data to advance individual and population health. Many professional organizations have endorsed screening for social determinants of health (SDOH), and the US Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has recommended increased capacity of health information technology to integrate and support use of SDOH in clinical settings.
AHRQ-funded; HS026383.
Citation:
Pantell MS, Adler-Milstein J, Wang MD .
A call for social informatics.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2020 Nov;27(11):1798-801. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocaa175..
Keywords:
Health Information Technology (HIT), Social Determinants of Health
Vasan A, Morgan JW, Mitra N
Effects of a standardized community health worker intervention on hospitalization among disadvantaged patients with multiple chronic conditions: a pooled analysis of three clinical trials.
The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a standardized community health worker (CHW) intervention on hospitalization. The investigators concluded that data from three randomized clinical trials across multiple settings showed that a standardized CHW intervention reduced total hospital days and hospitalizations outside the primary health system. They indicated that this study was the largest analysis of randomized trials to demonstrate reductions in hospitalization with a health system-based social intervention.
AHRQ-funded.
Citation:
Vasan A, Morgan JW, Mitra N .
Effects of a standardized community health worker intervention on hospitalization among disadvantaged patients with multiple chronic conditions: a pooled analysis of three clinical trials.
Health Serv Res 2020 Oct;55(Suppl 2):894-901. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13321..
Keywords:
Hospitalization, Chronic Conditions, Vulnerable Populations, Social Determinants of Health, Community-Based Practice
Davidson KW, Kemper AR, Doubeni CA
Developing primary care-based recommendations for social determinants of health: methods of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
This article highlights social determinants already included in USPSTF recommendations and proposes a process by which others may be considered for primary care preventive recommendations. By reviewing the evidence on the effects of screening and interventions on social determinants relevant to primary care, the USPSTF will continue to be able to provide recommendations on clinical preventive services to improve the health of all Americans.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation:
Davidson KW, Kemper AR, Doubeni CA .
Developing primary care-based recommendations for social determinants of health: methods of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Ann Intern Med 2020 Sep 15;173(6):461-67. doi: 10.7326/m20-0730..
Keywords:
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Primary Care, Social Determinants of Health, Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Screening, Prevention
Wallace AS, Luther B, Guo JW
Implementing a social determinants screening and referral infrastructure during routine emergency department visits, Utah, 2017-2018.
Emergency departments see a disproportionate share of low-income and uninsured patients. In this study, the investigators developed and evaluated a process for identifying social needs among emergency department patients, for facilitating access to community-based resources, and for integrating clinical and community-based data. They leveraged an academic-community partnership to develop a social needs screening tool and referral process.
AHRQ-funded; HS026505.
Citation:
Wallace AS, Luther B, Guo JW .
Implementing a social determinants screening and referral infrastructure during routine emergency department visits, Utah, 2017-2018.
Prev Chronic Dis 2020 Jun 18;17:E45. doi: 10.5888/pcd17.190339..
Keywords:
Social Determinants of Health, Emergency Department, Screening, Community-Based Practice, Community Partnerships
Fiori KP, Rehm CD, Sanderson D
Integrating social needs screening and community health workers in primary care: the community linkage to care program.
This study used logistic regression to identify factors associated with successful social service uptake in an urban pediatric practice. Out of 4948 households screened for social needs from December 2017 to November 2018, 20% self-reported at least one factor. Only 43% of the 287 households with unmet needs reported social service uptake. Greater than 4 outreach encounters were significantly associated with successful referrals. This study suggests the need for additional research and an opportunity for further program optimization.
AHRQ-funded; HS026396.
Citation:
Fiori KP, Rehm CD, Sanderson D .
Integrating social needs screening and community health workers in primary care: the community linkage to care program.
Clin Pediatr 2020 Jun;59(6):547-56. doi: 10.1177/0009922820908589..
Keywords:
Children/Adolescents, Community-Based Practice, Primary Care, Social Determinants of Health, Implementation, Low-Income
Cohen DJ, Wyte-Lake T, Dorr DA
Unmet information needs of clinical teams delivering care to complex patients and design strategies to address those needs.
The authors sought to identify the unmet information needs of clinical teams delivering care to patients with complex medical, social, and economic needs, and to propose principles for redesigning electronic health records (EHR) to address these needs. They concluded that developing EHR tools that are simple, accessible, easy to use, and able to be updated by a range of professionals is critical. They recommended that the identified information needs and design principles inform developers and implementers working in community health centers and other settings where complex patients receive care.
AHRQ-funded; HS023324.
Citation:
Cohen DJ, Wyte-Lake T, Dorr DA .
Unmet information needs of clinical teams delivering care to complex patients and design strategies to address those needs.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2020 May;27(5):690-99. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocaa010..
Keywords:
Healthcare Delivery, Teams, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Social Determinants of Health, Community-Based Practice, Primary Care
Ornelas IJ, Yamanis TJ, Ruiz RA
The health of undocumented Latinx immigrants: what we know and future directions.
This review article summarizes the limited but growing literature on the health of undocumented Latinx immigrations and how exposure to trauma, immigration enforcement, changes to social networks, and discrimination negatively affect their mental and physical health. The authors discuss how policies and social ties can promote their health. They focus on areas of concern and recommend how future research should be conducted.
AHRQ-funded; HS013853.
Citation:
Ornelas IJ, Yamanis TJ, Ruiz RA .
The health of undocumented Latinx immigrants: what we know and future directions.
Annu Rev Public Health 2020 Apr 2;41:289-308. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094211..
Keywords:
Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Vulnerable Populations, Social Determinants of Health, Policy
Heller CG, Parsons AS, Chambers EC
Social risks among primary care patients in a large urban health system.
The objective of this study was to understand the variability in the number and types of social risks overall and in population subgroups among primary care patients routinely screened in a large urban health system. Participants across nineteen ambulatory sites in the Bronx, New York, completed a 10-item screener. Findings showed that there were important differences in the prevalence of overall and individual social risks by subgroup. These findings should be considered to inform clinical care and social risk screening and interventions.
AHRQ-funded; HS026396.
Citation:
Heller CG, Parsons AS, Chambers EC .
Social risks among primary care patients in a large urban health system.
Am J Prev Med 2020 Apr;58(4):514-25. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2019.11.011..
Keywords:
Social Determinants of Health, Primary Care, Urban Health, Risk, Vulnerable Populations
