I regularly see the impact of ACEs and disparities in social determinants of health in my patients. I treated a young mother living in supported housing who was afraid to raise concerns about her child’s speech delay because she was worried we would call social services to apprehend her child. I met a refugee mother whose baby was admitted to hospital for poor weight gain, only for us to discover that mother was diluting her formula because she couldn’t afford more.
And I certainly remember a case similar to Brenda: a 12-year-old pregnant girl, in desperate need of both medical care and social support, who I saw in the emergency department. As a clinician, it is frustrating that there are factors beyond our control that significantly impact patients’ health. But there are also many ways that we as clinicians and active citizens can play a role in changing these stories.” where we ask the questions: Who lives with you? Are there any smokers in the home? What do you do for work? and so on. But while this standard set of questions is drilled into us from medical school, their relevance can vary.