Health-Related Social Needs Facing Youth with NonAlcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence of health-related social needs among youth with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: Retrospective review of prospectively administered health-related social needs questionnaires from Steatohepatitis Clinics. RESULTS: Patients with NAFLD (n=271) were predominantly male (72%), and non-Hispanic (68%). The most common unmet need was food insecurity (13%, n=36). Families who endorsed food insecurity at the first visit were 27-fold more likely to have unmet health-related social needs persist at subsequent visits than those who were food-secure at their first visit (95% CI: 6.7–111). CONCLUSION: Screening for social, economic, and environmental needs may identify previously unrecognized family challenges and may enhance intervention delivery, inform resource allocation, and improve outcomes.