What you probably already know: The last time you visited a doctor, you were most probably asked about your mental health and exercise routines. Next time, you may get a “prescription” for long walks, mindfulness breaks, to volunteer or to even have coffee with a friend. So-called “social prescriptions” aim to improve both mental and physical health through non-clinical (and non-drug-related) activities such as exercise, music or public service. Social Prescribing USA (a volunteer nonprofit organization founded in the San Francisco Bay Area four years ago) has become somewhat of a clearinghouse for both patients and health care providers, calling itself a social prescribing “champion” that aims to “facilitate wellbeing in the broader environment.”
Why it matters: The Lancet, a weekly medical journal, admits that social prescribing hasn’t been deeply researched, but notes that National Institute for Health and Care Research, during an analysis of 4 million patient medical records over six years, found positive mental health outcomes. The American Medical Association Journal of Ethics says despite well-documented health consequences of social isolation and loneliness, many health care providers don’t fully understand how to integrate social prescriptions into care plans. It describes a real-life family medicine physician — “Dr. J” — who observes improvement in patients following community social interactions, but “struggles” to create actionable care plans with measurable health outcomes.
What it means: Dr. Alan Siegel, co-founder and executive director of Social Prescribing USA (he is also a family physician at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland working to bring the concept there) says “social prescribing can be informal and is something many clinicians have probably done for decades without recognizing” it. Social Prescribing USA is working to launch a pilot program in all 50 states through a variety of organizations, including colleges and universities, walking groups, nursing homes, dance organizations and veteran’s groups, to name just a handful. Writing in the American Society on Aging’s Generations with co-author Carla Perissinotto, he notes that data from the U.K., Canada and Australia finds that social prescribing creates a return on investment of up to $7 for every dollar spent.
What happens next: At the first U.S. Social Subscribing Leadership Summit last October, advocates cited a need for more research, funding streams, health care system buy-in and communication. “The path forward requires simultaneous action on multiple fronts,” organizers noted, adding that collaborative relationships will boost the movement. “Social prescribing is fundamentally about relationships between patients and providers, health care and community organizations and between individuals and their communities.” The Lancet adds that social prescribing “is not a panacea designed to tackle all the social and economic challenges that affect health,” but says front-line community health workers — especially in immigrant, refugee and indigenous populations — could play a critical role in connecting patients with community-based health services.
