Background: Health inequities remain a persistent issue in the Philippines, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs). ABC’s for Global Health (ABCGH) operates a medical mobile clinic (MMC) in Pampanga to deliver primary care services to underserved communities. Recognizing that non-medical factors significantly affect health outcomes, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of social determinants of health (SDH) on patients served by the MMC.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2019 to July 2020 across 15 communities in Pampanga served by the MMC. The clinic focused primarily on non- communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. A total of 487 adult patients, with or without existing disease, participated in the study. Health outcomes were measured using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) survey, which categorizes physical and mental health across eight domains. Statistical analyses included logistic regression and Chi-squared tests at a 95% confidence level.
Results: Social determinants such as age, comorbidities, education, employment status, social class, living conditions, and access to public services (e.g., healthcare, education, transportation, waste management) significantly influenced SF-36 health scores. Key associations were observed in physical health domains—physical functioning, role limitations, pain, and general health—as well as in mental health domains—vitality, emotional well-being, and social functioning. Physical component scores (PCS) were associated with age, comorbidities, education, and social class, while mental component scores (MCS) were influenced by education and social class.
Conclusions: This study affirms that health outcomes are shaped not only by access to healthcare but by a range of intersecting social determinants. To improve patient outcomes, interventions must extend beyond clinical care to address systemic inequities in education, employment, and living conditions—underscoring the need for integrated, multi-sectoral health strategies in GIDA communities.
