Abstract
Background:Social Prescribing (SP) is an intervention to link users of the primary healthcare services to non-clinical organizations based on the community to tackle social determinants of health. Despite the potential benefits of SP, the effectiveness of this complex intervention remains uncertain. This paper presents the study protocol of the evaluation of the first SP project in Portugal.Methods:A mixed-methods study will be conducted to evaluate the SP project. For the quantitative component, a longitudinal, prospective study with a pre-post design will be performed. Data on patients referred to SP will be collected in four different points in time throughout the intervention, using questionnaires on patients’ health status and sociodemographic characteristics, and scales on patients’ well-being, quality of life and activation. The secondary data will be collected using patients’ medical records and SP’s forms about the referral and social responses elaborated within the intervention. Semi-structured interviews with patients and focus groups with stakeholders will be conducted to assess experiences of participation and improvement suggestions on SP.Conclusion:Comprehensive and complementary evidence will provide insights and learning for the implementation of future SP interventions. This can contribute to inform policy and practice, and to increase investment in social prescribing interventions.
Highlights
Social Prescribing (SP) is an intervention to link users of the primary healthcare services to non-clinical organizations based on the community to tackle social determinants of health
It has been evidenced that situations of loss of employment, poor social and economic resources, social isolation, interpersonal problems, or illness of a relative can trigger the manifestation of physical symptoms, stress, depression, anxiety [2]
This intervention has been considered an innovative public health approach that allows the provision of integrated care by linking healthcare services to the tertiary sector, and providing more than solely traditional health care [8,9]
Summary
Social Prescribing (SP) is an intervention to link users of the primary healthcare services to non-clinical organizations based on the community to tackle social determinants of health. Situations of social exclusion and economic disadvantage are associated with low levels of health literacy, less means for healthy lifestyle habits and decreased access to healthcare, that can lead to non-communicable diseases, and, to higher mortality and lower life expectancy [3,4,5]. In these cases, an exclusively clinical approach may not be the most appropriate response [2, 6]. SP can contribute to reduce inequities by covering and addressing the needs of vulnerable populations (such as migrants, individuals with mental illness, or at risk of social isolation) [10,11,12]
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