In this episode of the Health Science Podcast, Dr. Arvie Vitente dives into one of the most powerful—and often overlooked—drivers of health outcomes: Social Determinants of Health (SDOH).

Drawing from national frameworks and real-world clinical examples, this episode explores how factors like income, education, housing, transportation, social support, and access to care shape function, participation, and recovery—sometimes more than our clinical interventions themselves.

If you’ve ever designed a “perfect” plan of care that didn’t work, this episode explains why—and what teams can do differently.

Download: SDOH Framework + 5 Domains (Healthy People 2030)

⁠https://www.cdc.gov/about/priorities/why-is-addressing-sdoh-important.html⁠

⁠https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople⁠

Social Determinants of Health are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that influence health, function, quality of life, and risk.

They are shaped by access to resources, opportunity, and power, as defined by the World Health Organization.

Simply put: You can deliver evidence-based care—but if the plan isn’t doable in someone’s real life, outcomes will suffer.

This episode walks through the five national SDOH domains and how they show up clinically:

1. Economic StabilityIncome, employment, financial stress, affordability of care and equipment
2. Education Access and QualityHealth literacy, understanding instructions, navigating complex systems
3. Health Care Access and QualityInsurance coverage, provider availability, transportation, continuity of care
4. Neighborhood and Built EnvironmentHousing safety, walkability, transportation, food access, environmental conditions
5. Social and Community ContextSocial support, caregiver burden, discrimination, stress, community belonging

Each domain is discussed with real patient-facing examples that clinicians and students recognize immediately.

SDOH are not “extra” details—they directly influence:

• Adherence to care plans
• Functional recovery and participation
• Risk of complications and readmissions
• Ability to maintain gains over time

This is why SDOH is a national priority area for health equity emphasized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization.

SDOH is where team-based care becomes essential.

This episode highlights how different professions contribute to identifying and addressing SDOH:

• Medicine: risk stratification, referrals, care coordination
• Nursing: early detection of barriers, education, safety, follow-through
• Physical & Occupational Therapy: adapting goals to real-life environments and roles
• Speech-Language Pathology: communication and cognitive-access barriers
• Pharmacy: medication affordability, access, side-effect management
• Social Work / Case Management: housing, transportation, benefits, community resources
• Behavioral Health: stress, trauma, coping, motivation, behavior change

SDOH reframes team conversations from “What’s the plan?” to “What barrier is most likely to make this plan fail—and who can help address it?”

This episode closes with three immediately usable actions:

1. Ask one or two respectful SDOH questions during the history
2. Document SDOH as clinical context, not judgment
3. Activate the right team member or referral pathway based on identified barriers

SDOH work is not about doing everything yourself—it’s about making care realistic, compassionate, and coordinated.

About the Host

Dr. Arvie Vitente is a Professor of Physical Therapy and Director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Lewis University. His work focuses on competency-based education, interprofessional collaboration, and preparing health professionals to deliver equitable, real-world care.

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If this episode resonated with you, share it with:

• A colleague
• A student
• Your interprofessional team

Because better outcomes often start with better understanding of the contexts people live in.

In this episode of the Health Science Podcast, Dr. Arvie Vitente explores the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)—a globally recognized framework developed by the World Health Organization.

This practical, real-world discussion focuses on how the ICF helps health professionals:

• Strengthen clinical reasoning
• Improve documentation
• Communicate more effectively across interprofessional teams
• Center care around what matters most to patients: real-world function and participation

Whether you are a student, clinician, or educator, this episode breaks down the ICF in plain language and shows how it can be used immediately in patient care and team-based practice.

Download: ICF Framework (WHO)

⁠https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/international-classification-of-functioning-disability-and-health⁠

⁠https://www.icf-casestudies.org/introduction/introduction-to-the-icf/the-integrative-bio-psycho-social-model-of-functioning-disability-and-health⁠

• What the ICF Framework is—and why diagnosis alone doesn’t tell the whole story
• How to read the ICF “map”:
• Health Condition
• Body Functions & Structures
• Activities
• Participation
• Environmental Factors
• Personal Factors
• Why two people with the same diagnosis can have very different outcomes
• How the ICF creates a shared language for interprofessional teams
• How different health professions align their roles within the ICF
• A real-world knee osteoarthritis case example using an ICF-based team huddle
• A simple 6-step method you can use tomorrow with patients or teams

The ICF helps teams move from siloed thinking to coordinated, patient-centered care.Instead of asking “Who owns the patient?”, teams learn to ask:

“How do we align around the patient’s participation goals?”

This framework supports collaborative practice across medicine, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, psychology, and social work—without duplication or gaps in care.

1. Identify the Health Condition
2. Name one key impairment
3. Identify one activity limitation
4. Identify one meaningful participation restriction
5. Identify one environmental factor and one personal factor
6. Write one shared goal connected to participation

Simple. Structured. Patient-centered.

About the Host

Dr. Arvie Vitente is a Professor of Physical Therapy and Director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Lewis University. His work focuses on competency-based education, interprofessional collaboration, and preparing health professionals for real-world practice.

Share This Episode

If this episode helped you, share it with:

• A colleague
• A student
• Your interprofessional team

Because the more we share a common language of function, the better care we deliver.

Host Dr. Arvie Vitente (he/him) breaks down Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD)—a 4-repeat tau tauopathy where asymmetric cortical signs (ideomotor apraxia, cortical sensory loss, alien limb phenomena) collide with extrapyramidal features (rigidity, dystonia, myoclonus). He explains how frontoparietal and basal ganglia network injury drives the intention–execution gap—why a limb with normal strength won’t follow the plan—and reviews practical, general rehab approaches: task-specific motor retraining with reduced degrees of freedom, brief mirror therapy, bimanual coordination with rhythmic pacing, positioning and splinting for dystonia (and when to ask about botulinum toxin), smart adaptive equipment and home setup, safer gait/balance progression with visual targets, and SLP support for swallow/communication. Care-partner tips focus on short, frequent practice, one-step cues, calm redirection for alien limb behaviors, and celebrating small, meaningful wins.

Host Dr. Arvie Vitente (he/him) unpacks Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP)—a 4-repeat tau tauopathy that targets the brainstem and basal ganglia, producing the signature duo of vertical gaze impairment (especially downgaze palsy) and early, unexpected backward falls. He reviews the clinical picture for DPT learners: axial rigidity > limb rigidity, retropulsion, slowed vertical saccades, hypophonia, spastic/strained dysarthria, dysphagia, and frontal dysexecutive changes (bradyphrenia, apathy). You’ll hear the key differentiators from Parkinson disease (upright/hyperextended posture, modest levodopa response, minimal rest tremor) and general rehab principles: reactive stepping with safety supports, gaze-compensation head strategies, proactive assistive device selection (e.g., 4-WW, stability frames), structured transfer sequencing, environmental modifications (contrast, lighting, declutter), targeted postural extension/LE strengthening, and early SLP involvement for swallow and communication—plus practical caregiver guidance to reduce injury and preserve participation.

Host Dr. Arvie Vitente (he/him) demystifies Multiple System Atrophy (MSA)—a rapidly progressive alpha-synucleinopathy marked by combined parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia, and autonomic failure. He explains how misfolded alpha-synuclein accumulates in oligodendrocytes (glial cytoplasmic inclusions), disrupting basal ganglia, cerebellar, and autonomic networks. Expect clear red flags—neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, early frequent falls, urinary dysfunction, hypophonia/dysarthria/dysphagia, and nocturnal stridor—plus why tremor is often minimal and levodopa benefits are short-lived. Arvie outlines general rehab principles: vitals and orthostatic screening, physical counter-maneuvers, short supported aerobic bouts, targeted strengthening, ataxia strategies, early assistive device adoption, home/environment optimization, and coordinated care with SLP, OT, neurology, urology, ENT/sleep, and social work—to protect safety, mobility, and dignity as the body’s “autopilot” falters.

Host Dr. Arvie Vitente (he/him) brings clarity to Lewy body dementia (LBD)—an alpha-synucleinopathy that bridges Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease. In this episode, he explains how misfolded alpha-synuclein spreads from brainstem to limbic and neocortical networks, producing LBD’s hallmark triad: cognitive fluctuations, recurrent well-formed visual hallucinations, and spontaneous parkinsonism. You’ll learn the LBD–PDD spectrum (timing of cognition vs. motor onset), high-stakes pitfalls like neuroleptic sensitivity, and the non-motor drivers (RBD, autonomic failure, visuospatial/executive deficits) that complicate care. Dr. Vitente outlines practical, general rehab principles—cueing, task-specific gait and transfer training, visuospatial and environmental optimization, orthostatic BP screening, and short, structured bouts—plus caregiver strategies to navigate day-to-day fluctuations while protecting safety and dignity.

Host Dr. Arvie Vitente (he/him) continues Proteinopathies and Movement: The Brain’s Misfolded Stories with a clear, practical deep dive into Parkinson disease. He explains how alpha-synuclein pathology and loss of dopamine in the substantia nigra lead to hallmark motor symptoms (bradykinesia, rigidity, rest tremor, postural instability) and non-motor features (sleep changes, autonomic issues, mood and cognitive impacts). You’ll learn how evidence-informed rehabilitation supports function—amplitude-focused practice, external cueing, task-specific and dual-task training, and aerobic/strength work—plus caregiver tips, medication-timing awareness, and why neuroplasticity offers real hope for mobility and participation.

Host Dr. Arvie Vitente (he/him) kicks off Proteinopathies and Movement: The Brain’s Misfolded Stories with a clear, clinic-ready primer on proteinopathies—what they are, how misfolded proteins spread, and why that leads to hallmark symptoms like tremor, bradykinesia, falls, hallucinations, and cognitive change. He breaks down the two major families—alpha-synucleinopathies (Parkinson disease, Lewy body dementia, multiple system atrophy) and tauopathies (progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer disease)—and explains why knowing the protein helps anticipate affected brain networks. You’ll also hear practical, general rehabilitation principles (task-specific practice, amplitude training, cueing, autonomic/safety awareness, interprofessional teamwork, and caregiver strategies) to support mobility and participation.

In this episode of the Health Science Podcast, Dr. Arvie Vitente unpacks the story of multiple sclerosis (MS) from its origins to its underlying pathophysiology. With warmth and curiosity, she explores how a single immune misfire can disrupt the brain’s communication pathways—slowing a thought or altering a step mid-stride.

Listeners journey from Jean-Martin Charcot’s 19th-century observations of “sclerosis in plaques” to today’s cutting-edge understanding of how genes, viruses, vitamin D, and geography shape risk. Dr. Vitente demystifies the immune mechanisms behind demyelination and axonal injury, distinguishes between “outside-in” and “inside-out” models of disease, and spotlights how inequities influence diagnosis and outcomes across populations.

From molecular mimicry to migration studies, and from the optic nerve to the cerebellum, this episode connects cellular biology to clinical realities—equipping students, clinicians, and curious listeners alike to understand why MS happens, not just what it does.

In this episode of the Health Science Podcast, Dr. Arvie Vitente, Program Director of the Lewis University Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, is joined by inaugural DPT students Mario Leon, Dylan Smith, and Sean Blanchard for a deep dive into the microscopic world that powers human movement—cells, mitosis, and tissues.Together, they break down the essentials of cell structure and function, the phases and checkpoints of the cell cycle, and how these tiny units organize into tissues that build, repair, and sustain the human body. From organelles and membrane transport to connective and epithelial tissue, the team connects foundational anatomy with clinical reasoning every PT student needs.Topics include:Key organelles and their clinical significanceCell cycle phases, checkpoints, and apoptosisMitosis overview with functional applicationsEpithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous tissue organizationTissue healing, remodeling, and rehabilitation relevanceStudy hacks and lab tie-ins for applied learningThis discussion blends science, storytelling, and practice-ready insights, helping students visualize how cellular and tissue dynamics shape every healing process in physical therapy.Subscribe to the Health Science Podcast for more evidence-based insights, study hacks, and student-led conversations from the Lewis University DPT program.The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of Lewis University. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The Lewis University name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner, and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service. This podcast was produced in the WLRA Podcast Studios at Lewis University. Visit www.lewisu.edu for more information about Lewis University.This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical concerns.