Collaborating to Address Social Determinants of Health

My name is Katherine Uttal and I serve as an NHC Chicago member and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Outreach Coordinator with Erie Family Health Centers. The goal of the SDOH team is to address the patients’ needs outside of the exam room. Whether it’s a lack of affordable housing, baby items, or food, we try to connect patients with community resources that may be able to assist and lead to better health outcomes. 

Based on the SDOH team’s outreach, we have identified that accessing food is one of the most prevalent needs for our patients. According to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the number of households facing food insecurities in Cook County has increased by 51% between 2018 and 2020, with Black and Latino households being disproportionately affected due to structural racism and inequities. Like all social determinants, accessing food affects multiple aspects of health, as patients may be forced to make difficult choices between paying for food or paying for other necessities, like rent, transportation, or health care costs. Additionally, a lack of nutritious food can contribute to chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease. 

One way the SDOH team works to help patients facing food insecurity is by connecting them with Top Box Foods and providing deliveries of fruits, vegetables, and protein. On March 9th and 10th, our team handed out 100 boxes of food provided by Top Box, to patients at the Erie HealthReach Waukegan Health Center and Erie Evanston/Skokie Health Center. This food distribution was part of the Black K.A.R.E. Program, which is supported by The Links, Inc. - North Shore (IL) Chapter. The program aims to increase awareness and education about kidney health in Black communities. Each box contained ingredients to make a nutritious meal for a household of four, a reusable shopping bag, a list of local resources to address additional needs, and information and resources related to diabetes and kidney disease, provided by Black K.A.R.E.

 It was a pleasure to hand these boxes to patients, and to see Erie, Top Box Foods, and Black K.A.R.E. came together to provide patients with resources that could have a positive impact on their health. I love that my role with Erie has introduced me to so many organizations that work to tackle social determinants of health and improve lives across Chicago. I am also grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to connect with patients, to listen to their stories, and to serve them to reach their health goals. A quick conversation and a box of food may seem inadequate, given the great need for societal change that will lead to long term solutions to addressing social determinants of health, but these small actions can have a major impact on the lives of individuals, and I am so grateful that I get to be a part of that impact.