Steps to benefit from social prescription: a qualitative interview study

Abstract

BackgroundThe popularity of social prescribing has grown in recent years following a series of high-profile recommendations in scientific reviews, political reports, and media coverage. Social prescribing has the potential to address multiple health and social problems, but few studies have examined how it works.AimTo explore the ways by which social prescribing may be beneficial to individuals undertaking socially prescribed activity (SPA).Design and settingA qualitative interview study involving people attending a range of SPA.MethodParticipants were purposively recruited from a multi-activity social prescribing provider. Data were collected using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Analysis used a thematic approach, in which emerging themes were contextualised with interview transcripts and findings from existing literature.ResultsThe study identified five themes, which together formed a journey of engagement and participation. While not always present for any one individual, the themes occurred in a consistent order: receiving professional support for social problems; engaging with others through participation in SPA; learning different ways to relate to other people and developing new skills; changing perceptions by realising personal assets and becoming open to the possibility of new futures; and developing a positive outlook on the present while moving forwards in pursuit of future goals and better health.ConclusionSPA appears to benefit individuals by a process that begins with personalised professional help to address social problems and moves through engagement with activities and others, to the recognition of personal and social assets and opportunities.

Using self-determination theory to understand the social prescribing process: a qualitative study

“…While limited literature exists regarding how SP produces positive outcomes, our findings mirror themes identified in studies conducted by Hanlon et al 10 , Kellezi et al 3 and Payne et al 11 , among others that studied uptake and adherence of SP. 6,[25][26][27] Participants in Hanlon et al's study emphasized the importance of having the power to set their own priorities in regards to their health.…”

“…3,10 Individuals emphasized the value of shared experiences in helping them feel less alone 10 and the importance of participating in these activities because it addressed a need important to them. 10,11 In regards to the studies that explored uptake and adherence of prescriptions, autonomy was reflected in patient's having a voice in their treatment and was deemed vital in increasing uptake of referrals. 7,[26][27][28] Competence, through aligning referrals with patient's interests was found to increase the likelihood of patients identifying and following through with the referral.…”

“…8,9 However, beyond identifying the impact of these prescriptions, it is equally important to understand how SP as a process facilitates these outcomes. As such, this paper builds on the work done by Hanlon et al, 10 Kellezi et al 3 and Payne et al 11 in trying to understand the "how" of SP.…”

Tensions and opportunities in social prescribing. Developing a framework to facilitate its implementation and evaluation in primary care: a realist review

“…Although informed discussions with patients (concerning the referral process and the characteristics of the activities on offer) help accommodate expectations (18,50) and temper the 'fear of the unknown' (19), additional emotional and practical support is often needed to overcome (or cope with) the barriers that prevent uptake and engagement (47,48,(50)(51)(52)(53)(54). Patients are more likely to participate when link workers contact them directly after receiving the referral, make regular follow up phone calls, or even come along with them to the planned activities (49,55). In the community, ongoing supervision by activity leaders is identified as a relevant factor promoting service users' adherence (56)(57)(58)(59)(60).…”

Social prescription for those living with dementia; does MedTech have a role to play?

“…Models of social prescription offer more tools for social integration as a cause of health issues and promote patient interactions, interventions and activities with non-medical staff (Polley & Pilkington, 2017) [23] . As appropriately used, social prescriptions can help deliver value-based primary care by maximising the utilisation of resources and addressing social determinants of health, decreasing dependency on the biomedical model and thus providing a way for health care systems to deal with social determinants of health(Payne, Walton, & Burton, 2020) [21] ; The provision of social prescriptions requires the health and care sectors to recognise and effectively collaborate with local community assets that help create and deepen community ties where social prescriptions are available (Jani & Gray, 2019) [12] .…”