JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Social determinants of health (SDOH) strongly influence clinical outcomes. Social needs are the individual-level, actionable facets of the broader SDOH framework, including food security, stable housing, and access to essential services. When these needs go unmet, they adversely affect wellbeing and quality of care. Systematically detecting social needs is therefore critical, and emerging digital tools now offer efficient, scalable approaches for screening and identification.

Objective:

This scoping review aims to examine digital health technology (DHT) use or interventions documented for screening and identifying unmet social needs within high-need populations. We explore trends, effects, challenges, and limitations of identified technologies.

Methods:

Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we searched databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, ACM Digital Library, and Web of Science for studies published from 2010 to 2025. Eligible studies used technology to screen for and identify unmet social needs in populations with health and socioeconomic challenges. Data extraction focused on the types of technology, screening processes, and social needs identified.

Results:

Our findings highlight a limited yet evolving landscape of technological applications. We identified 14 studies using tools like self-assessment surveys, tablet-based systems, and electronic portals. These tools were applied across diverse groups, such as refugees and patients in emergency departments. Innovative approaches, such as chatbots and multi-dimensional risk appraisal systems for older adults, showed potential. However, challenges included single-site studies, small samples, and integration issues with medical records. The effectiveness of these tools in screening for unmet social needs shows mixed outcomes.

Conclusions:

DHTs play a pivotal role in improving the identification of unmet social needs. The findings underscore the need for broader, more integrated research to fully understand the impact of technology-based assessments and screening processes for social needs. Future efforts should focus on facilitated screening using technology both within and outside of the visit, ensuring the linkage to appropriate resources and care.