Social Determinants of Health and Opioid Use Disorder in Racially and Ethnically Minoritized Communities Webinar Materials

Series Description: American health is facing persistent health disparities and sub-optimal outcomes. It's been found that social determinants of health (SDOH), including socioeconomic factors like poverty, employment status, transportation, and education, impact up to 50 percent of health outcomes, compared to only 20 percent from clinical care variations. Grasping these influences isn't enough; we must utilize this knowledge for interventions that improve health outcomes. To aid in this cause, we are presenting a three-part series for RCORP grantees, delving into the SDOH and how understanding them can help formulate strategies to mitigate substance use, especially in rural areas.

Rising national rates of opioid use disorder drive significant morbidity and mortality in communities of all identities. However, these issues disproportionately affect racially and ethnically minoritized communities due, in part, to upstream structural factors. In this webinar, the presenters discussed these numerous factors affecting social determinants of health (SDOH) and health outcomes, particularly in these communities, and strategies to address them.

Learning Objectives:

• Review evidence linking upstream social determinants of mental health to the initiation of substance use and substance use disorders, explaining how these upstream factors can drive disparate outcomes
• Analyze the factors that can either facilitate or hinder engagement in long-term treatment and recovery for racially and ethnically minoritized individuals
• Learn how to identify strategies for organizations to assess and address opioid use among these individuals through addressing SDOH

Presenter(s):

• Jessica Isom, MD, MPH
• Rachel Talley, MD