Abstract
The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are the normal aspects of life that people encounter everyday such as housing, employment, aging, and their surrounding environments. SDOH also measure personal characteristics, family, home life, and economic stability, all of which can greatly impact health care needs. Students at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) are at risk for having unmet SDOH needs because maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health can be difficult while balancing work, school, and life. College students are more likely to have low-income jobs, debt from college, inadequate financial aid, familial financial hardships, weak job market, and less resources, while certain government assistance programs exclude college students from participation such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The aim of this project is to screen for SDOH needs among college students at FGCU through the PRAPARE tool which contains 21 evidence-based questions. The PRAPARE tool utilizes questions to determine risk assessment based on core measures which are then used to identify necessary health needs and intervene to improve SDOH. The project aims to identify gaps in current care within the FGCU community related to SDOH and increase communication between Student Care Services (SCS) and Student Health Services (SHS). The current intake form for SCS is long and time-consuming. It could benefit students to be screened using the PRAPARE tool because it is shorter in length, uses similar questions to those asked in the longer form, and can identify a similar number of referrals compared to what SCS currently receives. Results: Of 29 students, 14% reported fear of a partner or ex-partner while 10% felt unsafe at home plus another 10% were unsure if they were safe at home or with a partner. Most students reported very much stress (52%) & quite a bit stress (24%). For the study population, 14% reported being uninsured, 17% were on government insurance. A majority of students had a household income under $25,000 while 24% reported not being able to get to medical & non-medical appointments due to lack of transportation. Housing instability including homelessness and migrant work were reported by students (1 homeless, 4 unstable housing, 1 migrant). Students reported that the PRAPARE tool was quicker and easier to use (p=0.03) Conclusion: Students in a small sample had significant SDOH needs that are important to address for student success. Use of the PRAPARE tool is a quick and easy way to screen for SDOH in a university setting. Limitations of project: small sample size, students responding to the PRAPARE after already seeing SCS, recall bias, & risk to students/fear; BSN to DNP