In another sign of  the growing recognition of the importance of understanding the social determinants of health, American Academy of Pediatrics urges doctors to ask parents this question at each appointment: “Do you have difficulty making ends meet at the end of the month?”

Parents who answer “yes” will be directed to community resources for housing, nutrition and job assistance.

Cambridge Management Group projects have increasingly included addressing   social determinants that play large roles in a region’s population health, including economic, environmental, educational and transportation issues.