Comparison of SIREN social needs screening tools and Simplified Omaha System Terms: informing an informatics approach to social determinants of health assessments

OBJECTIVE: Numerous studies indicate that the social determinants of health (SDOH), conditions in which people work, play, and learn, account for 30%-55% of health outcomes. Many healthcare and social service organizations seek ways to collect, integrate, and address the SDOH. Informatics solutions such as standardized nursing terminologies may facilitate such goals. In this study, we compared one standardized nursing terminology, the Omaha System, in its consumer-facing form, Simplified Omaha System Terms (SOST), to social needs screening tools identified by the Social Interventions Research and Evaluation Network (SIREN). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using standard mapping techniques, we mapped 286 items from 15 SDOH screening tools to 335 SOST challenges. The SOST assessment includes 42 concepts across 4 domains. We analyzed the mapping using descriptive statistics and data visualization techniques. RESULTS: Of the 286 social needs screening tools items, 282 (98.7%) mapped 429 times to 102 (30.7%) of the 335 SOST challenges from 26 concepts in all domains, most frequently from Income, Home, and Abuse. No single SIREN tool assessed all SDOH items. The 4 items not mapped were related to financial abuse and perceived quality of life. DISCUSSION: SOST taxonomically and comprehensively collects SDOH data compared to SIREN tools. This demonstrates the importance of implementing standardized terminologies to reduce ambiguity and ensure the shared meaning of data. CONCLUSIONS: SOST could be used in clinical informatics solutions for interoperability and health information exchange, including SDOH. Further research is needed to examine consumer perspectives regarding SOST assessment compared to other social needs screening tools.