Tools to Assess and Measure Rural SDOH
An important first step towards addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) in any community is to learn about the lived experience of residents. Programs can use data to understand the social factors impacting the community, identify intended participants for programs, and determine the best strategies for addressing SDOH. Rural communities can also use data to compare selected measures between populations or among geographic areas in the community and identify where differences are greatest.
Rural communities may use a range of tools and strategies to gather the data needed to assess and measure SDOH. Tools and strategies for gathering data for assessing and measuring SDOH include: