TY - JOUR

T1 - Bridging Inequity Gaps in Healthcare Systems While Educating Future Healthcare Professionals—The Social Health Bridge-Building Programme

AU - Valentin, Gitte

AU - Nielsen, Claus V.

AU - Nielsen, Anne-Sofie M.

AU - Tonnesen, Merete

AU - Bliksted, Kristina L.

AU - Jensen, Katrine T.

AU - Ingerslev, Karen

AU - Maribo, Thomas

AU - Oestergaard, Lisa G.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Social inequity in healthcare persists even in countries with universal healthcare. The Social Health Bridge-Building Programme aims to reduce healthcare inequities. This paper provides a detailed description of the programme. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) was used to structure the description. The programme theory was outlined using elements from the British Medical Research Council’s framework, including identifying barriers to healthcare, synthesising evidence, describing the theoretical framework, creating a logic model, and engaging stakeholders. In the Social Health Bridge-Building Programme, student volunteers accompany individuals to healthcare appointments and provide social support before, during, and after the visit. The programme is rooted in a recovery-oriented approach, emphasising personal resources and hope. The programme finds support in constructs within the health literacy framework. Student volunteers serve as health literacy mediators, supporting individuals in navigating the healthcare system while gaining knowledge and skills. This equips students for their forthcoming roles as healthcare professionals, and potentially empowers them to develop and implement egalitarian initiatives within the healthcare system, including initiatives that promote organisational health literacy responsiveness. The Social Health Bridge-Building Programme is a promising initiative that aims to improve equity in healthcare by addressing individual, social, and systemic barriers to healthcare. The programme’s description will guide forthcoming evaluations of its impact.Keywords: inequity; inequality; deprivation; healthcare; student volunteer; complex intervention; programme theory

AB - Social inequity in healthcare persists even in countries with universal healthcare. The Social Health Bridge-Building Programme aims to reduce healthcare inequities. This paper provides a detailed description of the programme. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) was used to structure the description. The programme theory was outlined using elements from the British Medical Research Council’s framework, including identifying barriers to healthcare, synthesising evidence, describing the theoretical framework, creating a logic model, and engaging stakeholders. In the Social Health Bridge-Building Programme, student volunteers accompany individuals to healthcare appointments and provide social support before, during, and after the visit. The programme is rooted in a recovery-oriented approach, emphasising personal resources and hope. The programme finds support in constructs within the health literacy framework. Student volunteers serve as health literacy mediators, supporting individuals in navigating the healthcare system while gaining knowledge and skills. This equips students for their forthcoming roles as healthcare professionals, and potentially empowers them to develop and implement egalitarian initiatives within the healthcare system, including initiatives that promote organisational health literacy responsiveness. The Social Health Bridge-Building Programme is a promising initiative that aims to improve equity in healthcare by addressing individual, social, and systemic barriers to healthcare. The programme’s description will guide forthcoming evaluations of its impact.Keywords: inequity; inequality; deprivation; healthcare; student volunteer; complex intervention; programme theory

KW - inequity

KW - inequality

KW - deprivation

KW - healthcare

KW - student volunteer

KW - complex intervention

KW - programme theory

U2 - 10.3390/ijerph20196837

DO - 10.3390/ijerph20196837

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37835107

VL - 20

JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

SN - 1661-7827

IS - 19

M1 - 6837

ER -