Local doctors are to start screening for the social determinants of health issues.
Kootenay doctors have launched their poverty intervention tool.
Every patient will be asked one or more questions pertaining to poverty.
That’s because poverty leads to increased health risks in many areas.
Here’s Dr. Lee Mackay with Nelson’s Medical Associates Clinic.
Mackay says asking a simple question like, “do you ever have issues making ends meet at the of the month” can be very helpful.
Doctors realize that more money is spent on treating preventable and avoidable illness when poverty is ignored.
