‘Social Prescribing’ Goes Global

Imagine a world where health insurance providers cover the fee to participate in community choirs and ensembles—where participants can improve their social and physical health with no side effects. That’s the idea behind “social prescribing,” wherein healthcare professionals refer patients to social services, including arts programs, that promote health and wellbeing. First popularized in the U.K., the practice has gained ground in many parts of the world over the last decade. A recent article published in open access journal BMJ Public Health features the pioneering work being done in 17 countries to embed social prescribing into healthcare policy and practice. This report is worth a read if you are interested in learning culturally specific strategies to help you advocate for social prescribing in your own community. More international resources are available at Social Prescribing USA, whose founder Daniel Morse co-authored the BMJ paper.