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<div class="HwContainer HwElement" id="HwContainer"><a class="HwMainSkipNavigation" href="#HwContentTitle"><span class="HwAccessibilityText">Skip Navigation</span></a><div class="HwBlock" id="HwMain" role="main"><div class="HwRow"><div class="HwColumn" id="HwColumnSidebar1"><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomSidebar"> </div></div><div class="HwColumn" id="HwColumnContent"><div id="HwContentTop"> </div><div class="HwTypeFocus HwContentWrapper HwElement" role="article" id="HwContentWrapper"><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomContentTop"> </div><div class="HwContentHeader"><p><a name="top" id="Hwtop"><span class="HwAccessibilityText">Top of the page</span></a> </p></div><div class="HwContentTitle"><h1 id="HwContentTitle" tabindex="-1">Screenings for Health-Related Social Needs</h1></div><div class="HwContentTopNavigation"> </div><div class="HwContent"><div class="HwNavigationSection HwSectionSpecialSection" id="sec-acq8726"><h2 class="HwSectionTitle" fingerprint="b4cb0a40" fingerprint-exact="e7c3d1bb">Overview</h2><p fingerprint="2cfec40b" fingerprint-exact="b5cd14a2">A social-needs screening is a way for a doctor or nurse to learn about things in your life that could affect your or your child's health. It's done using a set of questions asked before or during a health care appointment. Social-needs screening is different from other health screenings because the questions aren't about health problems. Instead, they're about things like where you live, if you have enough food, or if you have trouble paying gas or electric bills. There also may be questions about if you are safe in your daily life. </p><p fingerprint="74507d87" fingerprint-exact="a3538fba">It can be surprising to be asked about social needs when you're not expecting it. Sometimes social needs can feel hard to talk about. You don't have to answer any questions you don't want to. And you don't have to accept help.</p><div class="hwPanelColumn2"><figure class="HwMedicalImage HwMedicalImageWrapper hw-medical-figure HwMedicalImageOptional"><img data-hw-resource-path="media/medical/hw/acp9866.jpg" src="https://ixbapi.healthwise.net/Resource/14.3/en-us/media/medical/hw/acp9866.jpg" hw:resource-path="media/medical/hw/acp9866.jpg" alt hw:release-quarter="14.3"><figcaption><p fingerprint="94d19283" fingerprint-exact="33285e5c">Everyone gets screened for social needs. That's because everyone's health is impacted by these things.</p></figcaption></figure><figure class="HwMedicalImage HwMedicalImageWrapper hw-medical-figure HwMedicalImageOptional"><img data-hw-resource-path="media/medical/hw/acp9868.jpg" src="https://ixbapi.healthwise.net/Resource/14.3/en-us/media/medical/hw/acp9868.jpg" hw:resource-path="media/medical/hw/acp9868.jpg" alt hw:release-quarter="14.3"><figcaption><p fingerprint="9e8007dd" fingerprint-exact="7c14e5ec">Telling a doctor about your social needs can help them provide support if you need it.</p></figcaption></figure></div><h3 class="HwSubSectionTitle" fingerprint="e83c13c1" fingerprint-exact="4e195bf9">Why is this screening done?</h3><ul class="hw-vl-list" fingerprint="0f014cc9" fingerprint-exact="4793ce78"><li><p class="hw-vl-image"><img class="HwInterfaceImage" data-hw-resource-path="media/interface/aco4338_icon.jpg" src="https://ixbapi.healthwise.net/Resource/14.3/en-us/media/interface/aco4338_icon.jpg" hw:resource-path="media/interface/aco4338_icon.jpg" alt width="54" data-hw-width="54" height="54" data-hw-height="54" hw:release-quarter="14.3"></p><div class="hw-vl-caption"><p><b>It helps a doctor get a fuller picture of their patient's health.</b></p><p>When a doctor knows more about you, they can be more helpful.</p></div></li><li><p class="hw-vl-image"><img class="HwInterfaceImage" data-hw-resource-path="media/interface/acp9873_icon.jpg" src="https://ixbapi.healthwise.net/Resource/14.3/en-us/media/interface/acp9873_icon.jpg" hw:resource-path="media/interface/acp9873_icon.jpg" alt width="54" data-hw-width="54" height="54" data-hw-height="54" hw:release-quarter="14.3"></p><div class="hw-vl-caption"><p><b>Treating medical needs works better when other needs are also met.</b></p><p>It can be hard for a person to care for a health problem if they're dealing with other stress, like having enough food or stable housing.</p></div></li><li><p class="hw-vl-image"><img class="HwInterfaceImage" data-hw-resource-path="media/interface/acp9872_icon.jpg" src="https://ixbapi.healthwise.net/Resource/14.3/en-us/media/interface/acp9872_icon.jpg" hw:resource-path="media/interface/acp9872_icon.jpg" alt width="54" data-hw-width="54" height="54" data-hw-height="54" hw:release-quarter="14.3"></p><div class="hw-vl-caption"><p><b>Knowing what types of help a person needs can help a doctor choose the right resources to share.</b></p><p>For example, a person who needs follow-up visits but doesn't have a way to get to them may benefit most from a program that offers help with rides.</p></div></li><li><p class="hw-vl-image"><img class="HwInterfaceImage" data-hw-resource-path="media/interface/acp5026_icon.jpg" src="https://ixbapi.healthwise.net/Resource/14.3/en-us/media/interface/acp5026_icon.jpg" hw:resource-path="media/interface/acp5026_icon.jpg" alt width="54" data-hw-width="54" height="54" data-hw-height="54" hw:release-quarter="14.3"></p><div class="hw-vl-caption"><p><b>It's the right thing to do.</b></p><p>Everyone deserves access to the things that help them live a healthy life.</p></div></li></ul><h3 class="HwSubSectionTitle" fingerprint="4baa4e0d" fingerprint-exact="5c197326">How can you work with your doctor?</h3><div class="hwPanelColumn2"><figure class="HwMedicalImage HwMedicalImageWrapper hw-medical-figure HwMedicalImageOptional"><img data-hw-resource-path="media/medical/hw/acp9867.jpg" src="https://ixbapi.healthwise.net/Resource/14.3/en-us/media/medical/hw/acp9867.jpg" hw:resource-path="media/medical/hw/acp9867.jpg" alt hw:release-quarter="14.3"><figcaption><p fingerprint="47ae97c1" fingerprint-exact="b627ff7b">Different screeners ask different questions. If you need help with something that wasn't covered, ask about it.</p></figcaption></figure><figure class="HwMedicalImage HwMedicalImageWrapper hw-medical-figure HwMedicalImageOptional"><img data-hw-resource-path="media/medical/hw/acp9870.jpg" src="https://ixbapi.healthwise.net/Resource/14.3/en-us/media/medical/hw/acp9870.jpg" hw:resource-path="media/medical/hw/acp9870.jpg" alt hw:release-quarter="14.3"><figcaption><p fingerprint="3cd81840" fingerprint-exact="83267279">If you've had trouble getting help with social needs before, let your doctor know. Sometimes there are people who can help with the calls or forms.</p></figcaption></figure><figure class="HwMedicalImage HwMedicalImageWrapper hw-medical-figure HwMedicalImageOptional"><img data-hw-resource-path="media/medical/hw/acp9869.jpg" src="https://ixbapi.healthwise.net/Resource/14.3/en-us/media/medical/hw/acp9869.jpg" hw:resource-path="media/medical/hw/acp9869.jpg" alt hw:release-quarter="14.3"><figcaption><p fingerprint="a1e6b435" fingerprint-exact="78fcf348">Be as open as you can be about your mental and emotional health. Stress related to social needs is real, and it can affect you.</p></figcaption></figure><figure class="HwMedicalImage HwMedicalImageWrapper hw-medical-figure HwMedicalImageOptional"><img data-hw-resource-path="media/medical/hw/acp9871.jpg" src="https://ixbapi.healthwise.net/Resource/14.3/en-us/media/medical/hw/acp9871.jpg" hw:resource-path="media/medical/hw/acp9871.jpg" alt hw:release-quarter="14.3"><figcaption><p fingerprint="d9503302" fingerprint-exact="7890772c">Remember, your doctor isn't judging you. Many people have social needs of some kind, and your doctor wants to help.</p></figcaption></figure></div></div><div class="HwNavigationSection HwCreditsSection HwCreditsWithoutNavstack HwSectionCredits" id="sec-acq4663-Credits"><h2 class="HwSectionTitle">Credits</h2><div class="HwContentInformation"><div class="HwLastUpdated"><p><span class="HwInfoLabel">Current as of: </span> July 31, 2024</p></div><div class="HwCredits"><p><span class="HwInfoLabel">Author: </span><a class="HwLinkExternal" href="https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en" title="Opens in a new window"><span class="HwLinkText">Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff</span></a><br><span><b><a class="HwLinkExternal" href="https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en" title="Opens in a new window"><span class="HwLinkText">Clinical Review Board</span></a></b></span><br>All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other 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class="HwLinkNavstack" data-hw-type="Focus" data-hw-document-href="acq4663" data-hw-section="acq8726" id="prevLink-acq8726" hw:document-type="Focus" hw:document-href="acq4663" data-hwid="acq4663" hw:section-href="acq8726" href="?id=acq4663#acq8726">Overview</a></div><div class="HwContentNavigationTop"><a href="#top">Top of the page</a></div><div class="HwContentNavigationNone"> </div><div class="HwClear"> </div></div></div><div class="HwContentInformation"><div class="HwLastUpdated"><p><span class="HwInfoLabel">Current as of: </span>July 31, 2024</p></div><div class="HwCredits"><p><span class="HwInfoLabel">Author: </span><a class="HwLinkDisclaimer" href="https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en">Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff</a></p><p><a class="HwLinkDisclaimer" href="https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en"><span><b>Clinical Review Board</b></span></a><br>All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="HwColumn" id="HwColumnSidebar2"><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomNavigationTop"> </div><div class="HwElement" id="HwNavigationWrapper"><div class="HwNavigation" id="HwNavigation" role="navigation"><h3 class="HwNavStackHeader" id="HwNavStackHeader">Topic Contents</h3><ul aria-labelledby="HwNavStackHeader"><li id="nav-acq8726"><a class="HwLinkNavstack" data-hw-type="Focus" data-hw-document-href="acq4663" data-hw-section="acq8726" hw:document-type="Focus" hw:document-href="acq4663" data-hwid="acq4663" hw:section-href="acq8726" href="?id=acq4663#acq8726">Overview</a></li><li id="nav-acq4663-Credits"><a class="HwLinkNavstack" data-hw-type="Focus" data-hw-document-href="acq4663" data-hw-section="acq4663-Credits" hw:document-type="Focus" hw:document-href="acq4663" data-hwid="acq4663" hw:section-href="acq4663-Credits" 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