Social Determinants of Health in Nursing Education: Integrating Into Curriculum and Practice

Reviewed by Jennifer Riggs, Professional Specialist, Saint Mary's College on 12/19/25

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The authors note that their goal for this project was to create a resource that could offer knowledge and support for integrating Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) in both undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. They call the resource a “workbook” which leads me to believe that their intention was to create an activity-based resource rather than comprehensive text. Still, the first sections of the workbook offer an effective introduction to the topic of SDOH that includes important definitions, a discussion on cultural aptitude, and practical and creative suggestions for how to integrate both into nursing curriculum in a variety of settings (classroom, lab, clinical, simulation, interprofessional education, etc.). Suggestions target student learning of SDOH as well as how programs can improve modeling of cultural aptitude via faculty diversity and development. The second half of the workbook contains detailed case studies that are based on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Clinical Judgment Model and that incorporate NextGen NCLEX -type comprehension questions.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The list of references used is found at the end of Section 3 and includes only current, reputable sources. The authors frequently cite the World Health Organization’s guidelines as well as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2030 objectives for monitoring SDOH and considering them in patient care.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Authors strategically aligned their work with the NCSBN’s Clinical Judgment Model and the four spheres of care supported by the current American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials. The AACN guidelines place a significant emphasis on the nurse educator role of helping nursing students to understand how structural and cultural influences impact health outcomes and nursing practice. The workbook provides specific recommendations for how to integrate these concepts into nursing curriculum. Additionally, each case study provides a focused approach within one of the spheres of care and addresses multiple SDOH domains.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is clear, concise, and easy to understand. It is appropriate for an undergraduate nursing student.

Consistency rating: 5

Each section is formatted in the same way and is easy to navigate.

Modularity rating: 5

The amount of information in each section is appropriate. I believe that students (and faculty!) will appreciate the conciseness and simplicity of the layout.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The workbook includes 5 short sections and makes good use of tables and images.

Interface rating: 5

I have not experienced any interface issues with this book. There is no online book option, however. The workbook must be downloaded as a PDF.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Grammar is correct. Language is appropriate for an undergraduate student.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The concept of cultural awareness is inherent to the discussion of SDOH and is emphasized throughout the entire workbook. The second section is dedicated to explaining cultural aptitude and describes the differences between cultural competence, cultural humility, and cultural safety. The authors set the tone for the book by acknowledging that there is a need to address and incorporate SDOH into nursing curricula because they are interrelated with the concepts of diversity, equity, inclusion, and health policy. The case studies include patients who vary by gender, age, race, ethnicity, background, experience, diagnosis, and care setting. Thus, each scenario challenges students to consider different SDOH. Additionally, the authors reference Leininger’s Transcultural Nursing Theory and encourage nurse educators to promote cultural aptitude at local, domestic, and international levels.

Reviewed by Marie Beechy, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Marian University on 11/4/25

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

This text is less of a book on the SDOH details and more of a support to be used in a class or clinical setting to help students put the concepts into practice in the form of case studies. The majority of the text is a series of detailed case studies that goes over SDOH in the case study. A review of the case studies shows them to be very comprehensive and beneficial resource.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text provides a brief, but accurate overview of SDOH. No errors were noted in the text.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The format of this text will need updates to maintain its relevance over time. Several specific charts and facts will require regular revision to ensure the information remains current. Additionally, some content linked to external sources, such as the CDC, will help support its ongoing relevance.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is a clear, concise resource to use when educating students on SDOH.

Consistency rating: 5

There was no indication of inconsistency within the text. The case studies were presented in a clear and uniform manner, making the resource particularly useful for students.

Modularity rating: 5

The textbook has a clear and logical layout that makes navigation very easy for the user. Its well-organized structure helps students easily find and understand key concepts.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The textbook has a clear and logical layout. It is well-organized.

Interface rating: 5

There is no evidence of issues in the interface of the text.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I was unable to see any grammatical errors in the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The case studies do have some evidence of cultural inclusiveness but I do see room for improvement in this area. Three case studies are done on men and two are done on females. The female cases are more culturally diverse and culture is included in some of the SDOH.

This is an excellent resource for those who are looking for comprehensive cases studies to include in their teaching strategies.

Reviewed by Kira Harkonen, Instructor, Radford University on 8/22/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Brief introduction to social determinants of health in the beginning of the textbook and thorough case studies. Each case study incorporates social determinants of health and how they impact the care of the patient.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The textbook presents accurate information with no obvious errors. The information presented is unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Social determinants of health that are described in this textbook are relevant to current and future care. Necessary updates would be minimal and easy to make in regard to medications etc.

Clarity rating: 5

Easy to follow and terminology used is relevant to the profession.

Consistency rating: 5

The framework of the textbook follows a clear pattern. The social determinants of health are explained and then case studies follow with applicable scenarios.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is easily divided into sections that can be assigned to students. Case studies are separated by patient diagnosis and can be used when appropriate to the course content.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The topics in the case studies are divided but not into clear sections. They are easily located but are not in any sort of order or grouping of diagnosis.

Interface rating: 4

In the section where a word choice is to be selected the text is misaligned but all other images and charts are free of significant issues.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text is free of grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is inclusive of a diverse populations including races, ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds.

The book provides case studies that can be utilized in a variety of nursing courses. It would be a nice additional resource when covering the social determinants of health portions in Foundations courses.