Social Risk Factors, Behavioral Risks, & Social Needs
Select the items below to learn how social risk factors, behavioral risks, and social needs interact.
SDOH vs. Social Risks
SDOH: SDOH can affect health in positive and negative ways. Higher income, for example, is linked to better health, while lower income sometimes leads to worse health.
Social Risk Factors: Negative social conditions like social isolation or housing instability often accompany poor health.
SDOH vs. Behavioral Risks
Behavioral risks – sometimes called high-risk behaviors – are lifestyle habits that can increase the risk of disease or injury and ultimately negatively affect a person's health.
Examples include:
- Poor nutrition
- Smoking
- Physical inactivity
- Substance abuse
Behavioral risks are related to individual choices but are also linked to SDOH. Employment and education, for example, may limit choices, leading to more unhealthy behaviors.
Remember: SDOH and behavioral risks aren’t the same thing.
Social Needs vs. Social Risks
Social needs are elements needed to survive like food, water, clothing, and shelter that can be addressed by social services like food banks or public housing.
Often, SDOH and social risks are the result of unaddressed social needs. But many people don't see SDOH or social risk as social needs related to their health or health care. Think about how your patients view their needs related to health.
SDOH screening helps identify challenges that affect a particular person. Part of the process is asking people about their needs.