Table 1.
Examples of screening tools for SDHs
| Screening tool | Administration method, time to complete | Summary of items evaluated | Additional notes | Age range (y) | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Environment for Every Kid Parent Screening Questionnaire | Paper and pencil or computer, 3-4 min, 16 or 20-item questionnaire with yes/no options | Food insufficiency | Part of a larger intervention that includes training of clinicians, identification of community resources, and social work support. | 0-18 | 13,14 |
| Smoke alarm needed | |||||
| Poison control contact needed | |||||
| Parental stress and depression | |||||
| Parental intimate partner violence | |||||
| Parental drug or alcohol problems | |||||
| Tobacco use in home | |||||
| Help with the child is needed | |||||
| HealthBegins Upstream Risks Screening Tool | Face-to-face interview, 6 min | Food insufficiency | NR | 15 | |
| Difficulty making ends meet or basic needs | |||||
| Parental employment | |||||
| Parental education | |||||
| Concerns about the child’s learning or behavior | |||||
| Parental physical activity and consumption of nutritious foods | |||||
| Housing and neighborhood concerns | |||||
| Religious or organizational affiliation | |||||
| Parental social support | |||||
| Parental marital status | |||||
| Health Related Social Problems Screener | Computer or tablet, 20 min | Food insufficiency | Survey used branching logic and ranged from 99 to 166 questions based on responses provided. Referrals were automatically generated. This format was highly acceptable to most families. | 0-6 | 16 |
| Housing instability | |||||
| Parental employment | |||||
| Household income | |||||
| Insurance status | |||||
| Problems receiving health care | |||||
| Intimate partner violence | |||||
| Housing conditions | |||||
| iScreen | Computer, face-to-face, or phone interviews, 10 min, 23 items assessed via Likert scale | Economic instability | Informants using the computer-based platform disclosed more needs, both in quantity and as a higher degree of endorsement than those performed face-to-face. | 0-18 | 17,18 |
| Concerns about lack of child care or services | |||||
| Physical or mental health coverage | |||||
| Concerns about tobacco smoke or physical activity | |||||
| Concerns about housing or transportation | |||||
| Immigration status | |||||
| Drug or alcohol problems in the home | |||||
| Family member incarceration | |||||
| Violence toward the child in the home | |||||
| Addressing Social Key Questions for Health Tool | Paper and pencil, 4-5 min, 13-question screen | Food insufficiency | Addresses ACEs and unmet social needs but low capture rate of ACEs. | 0-18 | 19 |
| Housing insecurity | |||||
| Need for legal aid | |||||
| Parental education and employment | |||||
| Child witnessed violence and bullying | |||||
| Child physical and sexual abuse | |||||
| Child separation from caregiver | |||||
| Parental mental illness or substance abuse | |||||
| WE CARE Survey Instrument | Paper and pencil, 4-5 min, 6 questions | Food insufficiency | 0-10 | 20,21 | |
| Housing instability | |||||
| Parental education and employment | |||||
| Difficulty paying bills | |||||
| Lack of child care | |||||
| Family Needs Screening Program | Paper and pencil, 1-page questionnaire with mostly yes/no options | Housing instability | Available in multiple languages targeting recent immigrants. Resource navigators supported families following a positive screen. Electronic referrals to community-based services also provided. | 0-18 | 22 |
| Difficulty with paying bills, meeting basic needs, or getting public benefits | |||||
| Need for legal aid | |||||
| Parental education | |||||
| Help with child or elder care | |||||
| Health literacy | |||||
| Experiences of discrimination | |||||
| Available social supports | |||||
| Parental alcohol, drug, and tobacco use | |||||
| Housing conditions |