Grant: Op. Grant: NWHRI: Innovation Fund - Translational Research

Heart failure (HF) is a serious medical condition with high rates mortality and hospitalization, particularly in women. Adherence to HF medications is the most efficacious way to avoid hospitalizations and prolong life in patients with HF. Despite numerous attempts at improving medication adherence through hospital-based interventions, none has consistently been effective. Social determinants of health (SDOH) are known to play a crucial role in both adherence and adverse outcomes in HF, yet previous studies have not utilized validated tools to identify high-risk women with HF using their SDOH profiles, nor have they tailored interventions accordingly. Social prescribing (SP) is a unique innovative approach involving non-medical interventions aimed at improving health by addressing SDOH-related vulnerabilities. SDOH typically disfavor women and, therefore, SP holds promise in improving adherence and outcomes in women with HF. Our primary goal is to investigate whether SP can enhance adherence to HF medications among Canadian women with HF. Secondary objectives include assessing whether SP can improve patient-related outcomes such as symptoms, physical limitations, social limitations, and quality of life. To achieve these goals, we propose a two-province study where women with HF will be randomly selected to receive SP. Only women with high-risk SDOH profiles and attending specialized HF clinics will be included. The intervention will involve a thorough evaluation of social needs followed by personalized social prescribing (individualized prescribing targeting SDOH) administered by link workers, who are lay workers, knowledgeable of community services. Combining standard of care with SP is a new and innovative way to provide individualized, holistic care to women with HF. By targeting SDOH, we can improve adherence, quality of life and outcomes of women living with HF.