Analyzing the Social Vulnerability Index With Metabolic Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: The social vulnerability index (SVI) is a census tract-level population-based measure generated from 16 socioeconomic and demographic variables on a scale from 1 (least) to 100 (most) vulnerable. This study has three objectives as follows: 1) to analyze multiple ways of utilizing SVI, 2) compare SVI as a group measure of marginalization to individual markers, and 3) to understand how SVI is associated with choice of surgery in metabolic surgery. METHODS: We retrospectively identified adults undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and gastric sleeve in 2013-2018 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data from a single academic center. High SVI was defined as >75th percentile. Low SVI was coded as <75th percentile in measure 1 and < 25th percentile in measure 2. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were utilized for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Multivariable regression models were performed comparing SVI to marginalized status as a predictor for type of metabolic surgery. RESULTS: We identified 436 patients undergoing metabolic surgery, with a low overall morbidity (6.1%). Complication and readmission rates were similar across comparator groups. The logistic regression models had similar area under the curve, supporting SVI as a proxy for individual measures of marginalization. CONCLUSIONS: SVI performed as well as marginalized status in predicting preoperative risk. This suggests the validity of using SVI to identify high risk patients. By providing a single, quantitative score encompassing many social determinants of health, SVI is a useful tool in identifying patients facing the greatest health disparities.

Evaluating the Influence of Social Determinants of Health on Blood Phenylalanine Levels in Phenylketonuria Patients.

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a genetic metabolic disorder that causes the accumulation of phenylalanine (Phe) in tissues, leading to intellectual disability, seizures, and socioemotional challenges. The role of social determinants of health (SDOH) in PKU management has not been formally studied, and this investigation evaluates the association between in-home and in-office factors on blood Phe levels in PKU patients. We conducted a retrospective chart review on over 200 patients attending the well-resourced PKU Clinic at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Data included patients' average Phe level, various demographic information, and CDC/ATSDR social vulnerability index (SVI) score. The analysis revealed no significant association between social vulnerability status and average Phe level. However, a significant correlation was found between sapropterin dihydrochloride use and average Phe level. Age interacted separately with sex assigned at birth, pegvaliase use, total Phe samples submitted, and the presence of genetic testing to significantly influence the average Phe level. This study highlights the multifactorial influences on PKU management and underscores the importance of social resources, such as clinic social workers and state-provided formula, in modulating the effects of SDOH on PKU control. Further research in different healthcare settings is needed to understand the social determinants affecting PKU patients comprehensively, which will strengthen advocacy efforts for this population.

Social Vulnerability Index and All-Cause Mortality After Acute Ischemic Stroke, Medicare Cohort 2020-2023.

Background: Inequities in stroke outcomes have existed for decades, and the COVID-19 pandemic amplified these inequities. Objectives: This study examined the association between social vulnerability and all-cause mortality among Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) during COVID-19 pandemic periods. Methods: We analyzed data on Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged ≥65 years hospitalized with AIS between April 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021 (followed until December 31, 2023) merged with county-level data from the 2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). We used a Cox proportional hazard model to examine the association between SVI quartile and all-cause mortality. Results: Among 176,123 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with AIS, 29.9% resided in the most vulnerable counties (SVI quartile 4), while 14.9% resided in counties with least social vulnerability (SVI quartile 1). AIS Medicare beneficiaries living in the most vulnerable counties had the highest proportions of adults aged 65 to 74 years, non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic, severe stroke at admission, a history of COVID-19, and more prevalent comorbidities. Compared to those living in least vulnerable counties, AIS Medicare beneficiaries living in most vulnerable counties had significantly higher all-cause mortality (adjusted HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.08-1.14). The pattern of association was largely consistent in subgroup analyses by age group, sex, and race and ethnicity. Conclusions: Higher social vulnerability levels were associated with increased all-cause mortality among AIS Medicare beneficiaries. To improve outcomes and address disparities, it may be important to focus efforts toward addressing social vulnerability.

Associations between Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index Scores, Rurality, and Histoplasmosis Incidence, 8 US States.

To explore associations between histoplasmosis and race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and rurality, we conducted an in-depth analysis of social determinants of health and histoplasmosis in 8 US states. Using the Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index (MH SVI), we analyzed county-level histoplasmosis incidence (cases/100,000 population) from the 8 states by applying generalized linear mixed hurdle models. We found that histoplasmosis incidence was higher in counties with limited healthcare infrastructure and access as measured by the MH SVI and in more rural counties. Other social determinants of health measured by the MH SVI tool either were not significantly or were inconsistently associated with histoplasmosis incidence. Increased awareness of histoplasmosis, more accessible diagnostic tests, and investment in rural health services could address histoplasmosis-related health disparities.

Trends in youth acute care hospital visits for anxiety and depression in Illinois.

PURPOSE: This study analyzes the trajectory of youth emergency department or inpatient hospital visits for depression or anxiety in Illinois before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We analyze emergency department (ED) outpatient visits, direct admissions, and ED admissions by patients ages 5-19 years coded for depression or anxiety disorders from 2016 through June 2023 with data from the Illinois Hospital Association COMPdata database. We analyze changes in visit rates by patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, hospital volume and type, and census zip code measures of poverty and social vulnerability. Interrupted times series analysis was used to test the significance of differences in level and trends between 51 pre-pandemic months and 39 during-pandemic months. RESULTS: There were 250,648 visits to 232 Illinois hospitals. After large immediate pandemic decreases there was an estimated -12.0 per-month (p = 0.003, 95% CI -19.8-4.1) decrease in male visits and a - 13.1 (p = 0.07, 95% CI -27 -1) per-month decrease in female visits in the during-pandemic relative to the pre-pandemic period. The reduction was greatest for outpatient ED visits, for males, for age 5-9 and 15-19 years patients, for smaller community hospitals, and for patients from the poorest and most vulnerable zip code areas. CONCLUSIONS: llinois youth depression and anxiety hospital visit rates declined significantly after the pandemic shutdown and remained stable into 2023 at levels below 2016-2019 rates. Further progress will require both clinical innovations and effective prevention grounded in a better understanding of the cultural roots of youth mental health.

Social vulnerability and prenatal diagnosis.

OBJECTIVES: There are limited data on how neighborhood-level risk factors affect the likelihood of having prenatal diagnosis. Neighborhood social vulnerability can be quantified and ranked using the social vulnerability index (SVI), a tool that measures the cumulative effect of external stressors in the local environment that may affect health outcomes. The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between SVI and prenatal diagnosis among pregnant patients who received genetic counseling. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of all pregnant patients who had genetic counseling at two hospitals in New York between January 2019 and December 2022. For each patient, the address of residence was linked to an SVI score (primary exposure) based on census tract. SVI scores were subdivided into fifths and analyzed categorically. The primary outcome was prenatal diagnosis (yes/no). Multivariable logistic regression was performed. RESULTS: A total of 5,935 patients were included for analysis and 231 (3.9 %) had prenatal diagnosis. On regression analysis, no association between SVI and prenatal diagnosis was observed. Patients who had a diagnostic procedure were more likely to be English speaking (aOR 1.80; 95 % CI 1.13-2.87), carriers of a genetic disorder (aOR 1.94; 95 % CI 1.32-2.86), had increased NT (aOR 6.89; 95 % CI 3.65-13.00), abnormal NIPS (aOR 9.58; 95 % CI 5.81-15.80), or had fetal structural anomalies (aOR 10.60; 95 % CI 6.62-16.96). No differences were seen based on race and ethnicity group, insurance type, or marital status. CONCLUSIONS: SVI score does not affect rate of prenatal diagnosis. Findings may differ in other geographic regions and populations.

Social Vulnerability and Compliance With World Health Organization Advice on Protective Behaviors Against COVID-19 in African and Asia Pacific Countries: Factor Analysis to Develop a Social Vulnerability Index.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 protective behaviors are key interventions advised by the World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent COVID-19 transmission. However, achieving compliance with this advice is often challenging, particularly among socially vulnerable groups. OBJECTIVE: We developed a social vulnerability index (SVI) to predict individuals' propensity to adhere to the WHO advice on protective behaviors against COVID-19 and identify changes in social vulnerability as Omicron evolved in African countries between January 2022 and August 2022 and Asia Pacific countries between August 2021 and June 2022. METHODS: In African countries, baseline data were collected from 14 countries (n=15,375) during the first Omicron wave, and follow-up data were collected from 7 countries (n=7179) after the wave. In Asia Pacific countries, baseline data were collected from 14 countries (n=12,866) before the first Omicron wave, and follow-up data were collected from 9 countries (n=8737) after the wave. Countries' socioeconomic and health profiles were retrieved from relevant databases. To construct the SVI for each of the 4 data sets, variables associated with COVID-19 protective behaviors were included in a factor analysis using polychoric correlation with varimax rotation. Influential factors were adjusted for cardinality, summed, and min-max normalized from 0 to 1 (most to least vulnerable). Scores for compliance with the WHO advice were calculated using individuals' self-reported protective behaviors against COVID-19. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess the associations between the SVI and scores for compliance to WHO advice to validate the index. RESULTS: In Africa, factors contributing to social vulnerability included literacy and media use, trust in health care workers and government, and country income and infrastructure. In Asia Pacific, social vulnerability was determined by literacy, country income and infrastructure, and population density. The index was associated with compliance with the WHO advice in both time points in African countries but only during the follow-up period in Asia Pacific countries. At baseline, the index values in African countries ranged from 0.00 to 0.31 in 13 countries, with 1 country having an index value of 1.00. The index values in Asia Pacific countries ranged from 0.00 to 0.23 in 12 countries, with 2 countries having index values of 0.79 and 1.00. During the follow-up phase, the index values decreased in 6 of 7 African countries and the 2 most vulnerable Asia Pacific countries. The index values of the least vulnerable countries remained unchanged in both regions. CONCLUSIONS: In both regions, significant inequalities in social vulnerability to compliance with WHO advice were observed at baseline, and the gaps became larger after the first Omicron wave. Understanding the dimensions that influence social vulnerability to protective behaviors against COVID-19 may underpin targeted interventions to enhance compliance with WHO recommendations and mitigate the impact of future pandemics among vulnerable groups.

Impact of social vulnerability index on patients with alcohol-related liver disease.

INTRODUCTION: Alcohol related liver disease (ALD) affects diverse communities with individual and social characteristics that can impact outcomes. The social vulnerability index (SVI) assigns a score between 0 and 1, where higher scores represent an increased risk of social vulnerability. We sought to assess the impact of SVI on outcomes of patients hospitalized with ALD with access to social support services. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Hospitalizations for ALD at our institution between March and August 2019 were reviewed. All patients were assigned an SVI score based on their residential census tract. Per our standard practice, patients were screened by care coordinators to identify needs for rehabilitation counseling, and care coordination after discharge. Demographics, hepatic decompensation, critical care needs, readmission, and mortality were compared. RESULTS: Among 73 patients admitted for alcoholic hepatitis, 32 had a low SVI and 42 had a high SVI. African American patients were more likely to have a higher SVI (35% vs 0%, p=<0.001). No significant difference in outcomes based on SVI was noted. There were 393 patients admitted for alcoholic cirrhosis including 166 with a low SVI and 227 with a high SVI. Patients that were African American (23.6% vs 5.5%, p=<0.001) or disabled (41.4% vs 29.5%, p = 0.008) had a higher SVI. No significant difference in outcomes based on SVI was noted. CONCLUSION: Most patients admitted for ALD had a high SVI; however, SVI did not impact hospitalization outcomes.

Gestational exposure to wildfire PM2.5 and its specific components and the risk of gestational hypertension and eclampsia in the southwestern United States.

In the southwestern United States, the frequency of summer wildfires has elevated ambient PM2.5 concentrations and rates of adverse birth outcomes. Notably, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) constitute a significant determinant associated with maternal mortality and adverse birth outcomes. Despite the accumulating body of evidence, scant research has delved into the correlation between chemical components of wildfire PM2.5 and the risk of HDP. Derived from data provided by the National Center for Health Statistics, singleton births from >2.68 million pregnant women were selected across 8 states (Arizona, AZ; California, CA, Idaho, ID, Montana, MT; Nevada, NV; Oregon, OR; Utah, UT, and Wyoming, WY) in the southwestern US from 2001 to 2004. A spatiotemporal model and a Goddard Earth Observing System chemical transport model were employed to forecast daily concentrations of total and wildfire PM2.5-derived exposure. Various modeling techniques including unadjusted analyses, covariate-adjusted models, propensity-score matching, and double robust typical logit models were applied to assess the relationship between wildfire PM2.5 exposure and gestational hypertension and eclampsia. Exposure to fire PM2.5, fire-sourced black carbon (BC) and organic carbon (OC) were associated with an augmented risk of gestational hypertension (ORPM2.5 = 1.125, 95 % CI: 1.109,1.141; ORBC = 1.247, 95 % CI: 1.214,1.281; OROC = 1.153, 95 % CI: 1.132, 1.174) and eclampsia (ORPM2.5 = 1.217, 95 % CI: 1.145,1.293; ORBC = 1.458, 95 % CI: 1.291,1.646; OROC = 1.309, 95 % CI: 1.208,1.418) during the pregnancy exposure window with the strongest effect. The associations were stronger that the observed effects of ambient PM2.5 in which the sources primarily came from urban emissions. Social vulnerability index (SVI), education years, pre-pregnancy diabetes, and hypertension acted as effect modifiers. Gestational exposure to wildfire PM2.5 and specific chemical components (BC and OC) increased gestational hypertension and eclampsia risk in the southwestern United States.

Impact of social vulnerability index on severity of obstructive sleep apnea: Insights from drug-induced sleep endoscopy.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between neighborhood-level social vulnerability on the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients undergoing drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE). STUDY DESIGN: Single center retrospective cohort study. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients >18 years of age that underwent DISE from July 2016 to July 2022. Patient addresses were geocoded with geographic information systems, and spatial overlays were used to assign census-tract level social vulnerability index (SVI) scores in the four sub-themes: Socioeconomic (theme 1), Household Composition/Disability (theme 2), Minority Status/Language (theme 3), and Housing/Transportation (theme 4). RESULTS: The study included 165 patients (61.2 years ± 11.6; 31.0 BMI ± 6.1, 102 male, 63 female). Mild OSA was present in13 patients; 55 patients had moderate OSA; and 97 patients had severe OSA. A higher SVI value in minority status and language, and a higher BMI both predicted an increased Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) (p = 0.042, and <0.001, respectively) in the multivariate model; whereas, race, age, gender, or the other three SVI sub-theme values were not predictive. CONCLUSION: Adults residing in areas of greater social vulnerability - specifically a larger minority presence or English as a second language - and patients who are obese are more likely to have more severe OSA. There was no correlation, however, between obesity and residence in an area of high SVI. These results suggest that both neighborhood conditions and obesity are associated with OSA severity. This elevated risk has potential implications for diagnostic testing, clinic follow-ups, screening, and treatment plans for adults residing in disenfranchised neighborhoods. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

A health equity science approach to assessing drivers of COVID-19 vaccination coverage disparities over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, United States, December 2020-December 2022.

INTRODUCTION: Health equity science examines underlying social determinants, or drivers, of health inequities by building an evidence base to guide action across programs, public health surveillance, policy, and communications efforts. A Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) was utilized during the COVID-19 response to identify areas where inequities exist and support communities with vaccination. We set out to assess COVID-19 vaccination coverage by two SVI themes, Racial and Ethnicity Minority Status and Housing Type and Transportation to examine disparities. METHODS: US county-level COVID-19 vaccine administration data among persons aged 5 years and older reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from December 14, 2020 to December 14, 2022, were analyzed. Counties were categorized 1) into tertiles (low, moderate, high) according to each SVI theme's level of vulnerability or 2) dichotomized by urban or rural classification. Primary series vaccination coverage per age group were assessed for SVI social factors by SVI theme tertiles or urbanicity. RESULTS: Older adults aged 65 years and older had the highest vaccination coverage across all vulnerability factors compared with children aged 5-17 years and adults aged 18-64 years. Overall, children and adults had higher vaccination coverage in counties of high vulnerability. Greater vaccination coverage differences were observed by urbanicity as rural counties had some of the lowest vaccination coverage for children and adults. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 vaccination efforts narrowed gaps in coverage for adults aged 65 years and older but larger vaccination coverage differences remained among younger populations. Moreover, greater disparities in coverage existed in rural counties. Health equity science approaches to analyses should extend beyond identifying differences by basic demographics such as race and ethnicity and include factors that provide context (housing, transportation, age, and geography) to assist with prioritization of vaccination efforts where true disparities in vaccination coverage exist.

Social Vulnerability Index and Cardiovascular Disease Care Continuum: A Scoping Review.

Background: Social vulnerability index (SVI) estimates the vulnerability of communities to disasters, encompassing 4 separate domains (socioeconomic, household composition and disability, minority status and language, and housing and transportation). The SVI has been linked with risk and outcomes of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Objectives: This scoping review explored the literature between the SVI and CVD continuum, with a goal to identify gaps in understanding the impact of the SVI on CVD and to elucidate future research opportunities. Methods: We systematically searched 7 databases from inception to May 19, 2023, for articles that explored the relationship between the SVI and CVD care continuum, including prevention, diagnosis and prevalence, treatment, and health outcomes. Extracted data included SVI ranking type, populations, outcomes, and quality of studies. Results: Twelve studies evaluated the impact of SVI on the CVD continuum. Five studies explored mortality outcomes, 3 studies explored CVD risk factor prevalence, 4 studies explored CVD prevalence, 1 study explored access to health care in those with CVD, 1 study explored the use of cardiac rehabilitation services, and 1 study explored heart failure readmission rates, all of which revealed statistically significant associations with SVI. All studies included the SVI aggregate percentile ranking, while 5 studies focused on individual thematic components. We identified gaps in understanding the SVI's impact on CVD care continuum, particularly regarding CVD prevention and early detection. Conclusions: This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the SVI's application in assessing various aspects of the CVD care continuum and highlights potential avenues for future research.

Impact of socioeconomic status on open globe injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: We explored the associations between socioeconomic status, as evaluated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), and characteristics of open globe injury (OGI) in a Level I trauma center during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Retrospective review of electronic medical records of patients who underwent OGI evaluation and repair at Harborview Medical Center between March/2017 and March/2021. Demographic data and patient characteristics were recorded. The SVI was obtained based on the patient's home address. Patients were grouped into the "historical" (pre-COVID) cohort, including dates from March 2017 - March 2020, and the "COVID" cohort, including dates from March 2020 - March 2021. RESULTS: 318 patients (77.4% male) were included. Average ± S.D. age (years) and SVI scores were 44.7 ± 22.7 and 0.413 ± 0.195, respectively. SVI scores were significantly higher (more vulnerable) during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to years prior (p = 0.017), however when compared to scores for the same patients prior to the pandemic, no difference was found (p = 0.609). There was no significant difference between intentional and non-intentional trauma, work-related injuries, OGI type, presence of endophthalmitis, or ocular trauma score (p ≥ 0.293). Still, significantly fewer motor vehicle-associated (MVA) OGIs occurred during the pandemic (p = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with OGI during the COVID-19 pandemic had higher SVI scores, however when considering the overall effect of the pandemic, our findings are likely reflective of the societal changes at large. There was no identifiable impact on the mechanisms or characteristics of ocular injuries, except for fewer MVA injuries.

Workplace Exposures Vary Across Neighborhoods in the US: Implications on Social Vulnerability and Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities.

Ignoring workplace exposures that occur beyond the local residential context in place-based risk indices like the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) likely misclassifies community exposure by under-counting risks and obscuring true drivers of racial/ethnic health disparities. To investigate this hypothesis, we developed several place-based indicators of occupational exposure and examined their relationships with race/ethnicity, SVI, and health inequities. We used publicly available job exposure matrices and employment estimates from the United States (US) Census to create and map six indicators of occupational hazards for every census tract in the US. We characterized census tracts with high workplace-low SVI scores. We used natural cubic splines to examine tract level associations between the percentage of racial/ethnic minorities (individuals who are not non-Hispanic White) and the occupational indicators. Lastly, we stratified each census tract into high/low occupational noise, chemical pollutant, and disease/infection exposure to examine racial/ethnic health disparities to diabetes, asthma, and high blood pressure, respectively, as a consequence of occupational exposure inequities. Our results show that racial/ethnic minority communities, particularly those that are also low-income, experience a disproportionate burden of workplace exposures that may be contributing to racial/ethnic health disparities. When composite risk measures, such as SVI, are calculated using only information from the local residential neighborhood, they may systematically under-count occupational risks experienced by the most vulnerable communities. There is a need to consider the role of occupational justice on nationwide, racial/ethnic health disparities.

Association of US county-level social vulnerability index with breast, colorectal, and lung cancer screening, incidence, and mortality rates across US counties.

Background: Despite being the second leading cause of death in the United States, cancer disproportionately affects underserved communities due to multiple social factors like economic instability and limited healthcare access, leading to worse survival outcomes. This cross-sectional database study involves real-world data to explore the relationship between the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), a measure of community resilience to disasters, and disparities in screening, incidence, and mortality rates of breast, colorectal, and lung cancer. The SVI encompasses four themes: socioeconomic status, household composition & disability, minority status & language, and housing type & transportation. Materials and methods: Using county-level data, this study compared cancer metrics in U.S. counties and the impact of high and low SVI. Two-sided statistical analysis was performed to compare SVI tertiles and cancer screening, incidence, and mortality rates. The outcomes were analyzed with logistic regression to determine the odds ratio of SVI counties having cancer metrics at or above the median. Results: Our study encompassed 3,132 United States counties. From publicly available SVI data, we demonstrated that high SVI scores correlate with low breast and colorectal cancer screening rates, along with high incidence and mortality rates for all three types of cancers. County level SVI has impact on incidence rates of cancers; breast cancer rates were lowest in high SVI counties, while colorectal and lung cancer rates were highest in the same counties. Age-adjusted mortality rates for all three cancers increased across SVI tertiles. After risk adjustment, a 10-point SVI increase correlated with lower screening and higher mortality rates. Conclusion: In conclusion, our study establishes a significant correlation between SVI and cancer metrics, highlighting the potential to identify marginalized communities with health disparities for targeted healthcare initiatives. It underscores the need for further longitudinal studies on bridging the gap in overall cancer care in the United States.

Examining community-level social vulnerability and emergency department use for people living with sickle cell disease in Michigan.

This study examined associations between emergency department (ED) visits and social vulnerability index (SVI) among Michigan's population with sickle cell disease (SCD) using data from the Michigan Sickle Cell Data Collection program (n = 3658 in 2018). SVI was higher among census tracts where people with SCD resided (mean SVI = 0.67; SD = 0.27) compared to census tracts without SCD residents (mean SVI = 0.39; SD = 0.25; p < .001). For children with SCD, for every 0.1 increase in SVI score, the number of ED visits increased by 6% (IRR = 1.061; SE = 0.03; p = .038). Future research should investigate the association between SVI and ED use, at the community and household levels, to elucidate strategies to reduce ED use among children with SCD.

Social Determinants of Health and Limitation of Life-Sustaining Therapy in Neurocritical Care: A CHoRUS Pilot Project.

BACKGROUND: Social determinants of health (SDOH) have been linked to neurocritical care outcomes. We sought to examine the extent to which SDOH explain differences in decisions regarding life-sustaining therapy, a key outcome determinant. We specifically investigated the association of a patient's home geography, individual-level SDOH, and neighborhood-level SDOH with subsequent early limitation of life-sustaining therapy (eLLST) and early withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy (eWLST), adjusting for admission severity. METHODS: We developed unique methods within the Bridge to Artificial Intelligence for Clinical Care (Bridge2AI for Clinical Care) Collaborative Hospital Repository Uniting Standards for Equitable Artificial Intelligence (CHoRUS) program to extract individual-level SDOH from electronic health records and neighborhood-level SDOH from privacy-preserving geomapping. We piloted these methods to a 7 years retrospective cohort of consecutive neuroscience intensive care unit admissions (2016-2022) at two large academic medical centers within an eastern Massachusetts health care system, examining associations between home census tract and subsequent occurrence of eLLST and eWLST. We matched contextual neighborhood-level SDOH information to each census tract using public data sets, quantifying Social Vulnerability Index overall scores and subscores. We examined the association of individual-level SDOH and neighborhood-level SDOH with subsequent eLLST and eWLST through geographic, logistic, and machine learning models, adjusting for admission severity using admission Glasgow Coma Scale scores and disorders of consciousness grades. RESULTS: Among 20,660 neuroscience intensive care unit admissions (18,780 unique patients), eLLST and eWLST varied geographically and were independently associated with individual-level SDOH and neighborhood-level SDOH across diagnoses. Individual-level SDOH factors (age, marital status, and race) were strongly associated with eLLST, predicting eLLST more strongly than admission severity. Individual-level SDOH were more strongly predictive of eLLST than neighborhood-level SDOH. CONCLUSIONS: Across diagnoses, eLLST varied by home geography and was predicted by individual-level SDOH and neighborhood-level SDOH more so than by admission severity. Structured shared decision-making tools may therefore represent tools for health equity. Additionally, these findings provide a major warning: prognostic and artificial intelligence models seeking to predict outcomes such as mortality or emergence from disorders of consciousness may be encoded with self-fulfilling biases of geography and demographics.

Socioeconomic Disparities and the Prevalence of Antimicrobial Resistance.

BACKGROUND: The increased prevalence of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) infections is a significant global health threat, resulting in increased morbidity, mortality, and costs. The drivers of AMR are complex and potentially impacted by socioeconomic factors. We investigated the relationships between geographic and socioeconomic factors and AMR. METHODS: We collected select patient bacterial culture results from 2015 to 2020 from electronic health records (EHR) of two expansive healthcare systems within the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (DFW) metropolitan area. Among individuals with EHR records who resided in the four most populus counties in DFW, culture data were aggregated. Case counts for each organism studied were standardized per 1,000 persons per area population. Using residential addresses, the cultures were geocoded and linked to socioeconomic index values. Spatial autocorrelation tests identified geographic clusters of high and low AMR organism prevalence and correlations with established socioeconomic indices. RESULTS: We found significant clusters of AMR organisms in areas with high levels of deprivation, as measured by the Area Deprivation Index (ADI). We found a significant spatial autocorrelation between ADI and the prevalence of AMR organisms, particularly for AmpC and MRSA with 14% and 13%, respectively, of the variability in prevalence rates being attributable to their relationship with the ADI values of the neighboring locations. CONCLUSIONS: We found that areas with a high ADI are more likely to have higher rates of AMR organisms. Interventions that improve socioeconomic factors such as poverty, unemployment, decreased access to healthcare, crowding, and sanitation in these areas of high prevalence may reduce the spread of AMR.

Investigating the effects of spatial scales on social vulnerability index: A hybrid uncertainty and sensitivity analysis approach combined with remote sensing land cover data.

Investigating the effects of spatial scales on the uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of the social vulnerability index (SoVI) model output is critical, especially for spatial scales finer than the census block group or census block. This study applied the intelligent dasymetric mapping approach to spatially disaggregate the census tract scale SoVI model into a 300-m grids resolution SoVI map in Davidson County, Nashville. Then, uncertainty analysis and variance-based global sensitivity analysis were conducted on two scales of SoVI models: (a) census tract scale; (b) 300-m grids scale. Uncertainty analysis results indicate that the SoVI model has better confidence in identifying places with a higher socially vulnerable status, no matter the spatial scales in which the SoVI is constructed. However, the spatial scale of SoVI does affect the sensitivity analysis results. The sensitivity analysis suggests that for census tract scale SoVI, the indicator transformation and weighting scheme are the two major uncertainty contributors in the SoVI index modeling stages. While for finer spatial scales like the 300-m grid's resolution, the weighting scheme becomes the uttermost dominant uncertainty contributor, absorbing uncertainty contributions from indicator transformation.

Geographic, Sociodemographic, and Clinical Factors Associated With Parental Self-Efficacy in Pediatric Patients With Hearing Loss.

OBJECTIVE: To identify geographic, sociodemographic, and clinical factors associated with parental self-efficacy in a diverse cohort of deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) children. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Tertiary children's hospital. METHODS: Four hundred forty parents of DHH children aged 0 to 17 completed the 25-item Scale of Parental Involvement and Self-Efficacy (SPISE) survey from 2014 to 2022. Residential addresses were geocoded and assigned Area Deprivation Index and Social Vulnerability Index rankings, and univariable and multivariable analyses were conducted using sociodemographic and clinical variables, including sex, race/ethnicity, insurance type, survey language, age at the survey, comorbidities, newborn hearing screening results, and hearing loss laterality and severity. RESULTS: Compared to English and Spanish-speaking parents, Chinese-speaking parents were associated with overall lower parental self-efficacy and involvement (regression coefficient = -0.518, [-0.929, -0.106]), Cohen's d = 0.606) and lower scores on items related to their ability to affect multiple aspects of their child's development and expression of thoughts as well as competency in checking and putting on their child's sensory device. Across univariable and multivariable analyses, besides Chinese language, all other sociodemographic, clinical, and geographic variables were not associated with SPISE score. CONCLUSION: To achieve the best patient outcomes, care teams can use the SPISE to evaluate parental self-efficacy and provide targeted support to parents at risk for having lower knowledge and confidence scores about critical skills necessary to facilitate their child's auditory access and language development. Notably, this study found similar reports of parental efficacy across various sociodemographic, clinical, and geographic variables but significantly lower SPISE scores in Chinese-speaking families.