HJAR Jul/Aug 2025

70 JUL / AUG 2025 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS NURSING COLUMN NURSING for people in rural communities, resulting in fewer primary care providers, specialist services, and emergency care facilities. Re- search indicates that patients with chronic illnesses who have poor access to health- care services are at risk for complications and disease advancement. 3 The role of case management is crucial in ensuring that individuals can effectively manage these barriers to receive the support they require. The role of case management in addressing SDOH In nursing, case management is a col- laborative approach to coordinate and manage patient care by focusing on indi- vidual needs and goals to improve overall health and well-being. 1 Case management involves a thorough needs assessment, care plan development, facilitating com- munication, coordinating resources, and patient advocacy. The integration of case management will assist healthcare profes- sionals in providing tailored interventions SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH (SDOH) are the non-medical factors that adversely affect health outcomes. 1 These non-medical factors are circumstances in which people are born, live, work, and age. Social determinants of health have more influence on health than genetics and play a significant role in disease susceptibility. 2 As a strategy for addressing these chal- lenges, nurse care managers can be em- ployed to engage patients and facilitate targeted interventions based on the social needs of individuals. 1 The techniques of patient engagement and overcoming bar- riers to healthcare access make care man- agement a viable way to improve health equity within rural communities. 1 Understanding healthcare access as an SDOH in communities Social determinants of health are those factors that determine individual and community well-being. 3 The absence of healthcare infrastructure is a critical fac- tor contributing to poor health outcomes Addressing Social Determinants of Health: A CASE MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE for specific SDOHs that affect their patient populations. 1 Studies reveal that such tar- geted interventions will enhance patient satisfaction and increase compliance with medical treatment plans. 4 When case man- agers are actively involved in addressing SDOH, vulnerable populations are afford- ed the opportunity to attain optimal health outcomes. Throughout my career as a nurse case manager, I have noticed some similarities among non-compliant patients. These similarities include having multiple chron- ic conditions, poor health literacy, and transportation barriers. 5 Overall, I have concluded that SDOH significantly in- fluences the patient’s engagement with healthcare. I believe that it is important for nurse care managers to identify barriers to healthcare and implement interventions to improve or eliminate them. Eliminating barriers requires the devel- opment of a trusting relationship between the patient and the nurse care manager. In my opinion, trusting relationships are only