Approaches for Embedding Structural Competency and Social Determinants of Health in Pharmacy Curricula

There is emerging scholarship related to teaching social determinants of health (SDOH) in pharmacy education; however, challenges remain as there is no formal consensus on which aspects of SDOH to teach or evaluate. SDOH may often be confounded by other similar and often overlapping terminology, such as cultural competence, cultural humility, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; however, there are key differences. All domains of SDOH are relevant to patient health outcomes, but it may be challenging for educators to determine which competencies are most essential for pharmacy students to learn, and to understand which are most applicable to direct patient care in pharmacy practice. This article reviews literature in pharmacy and multiple health professions disciplines related to teaching SDOH. The objective of this paper is to use the literature as support to leverage the expertise within the AACP Health Disparities and Cultural Competence Special Interest Group to provide guidance to pharmacy programs seeking to meet accreditation requirements. The recommendations within are evidence-based but also include practical insights and recommendations from forward-thinking pharmacy educators.