The relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic status and short-term outcomes following colon resection.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study investigates the association between neighborhood socioeconomic status, measured by the Distressed Communities Index (DCI), and short-term outcomes following colon resection. METHODS: Utilizing the Maryland State Inpatient Sample database (SID 2018-2020), we determined the association between DCI and post-op outcomes following colon resection including length of stay, readmissions, 30-day in-hospital mortality, and non-routine discharges. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to control for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Of the 13,839 patients studied, median age was 63, with 54.3 â€‹% female and 64.5 â€‹% elective admissions. Laparoscopic surgery was performed in 36.9 â€‹% cases, with a median hospital stay of 5 days. Patients in distressed communities faced higher risks of emergency admission (OR 1.31), prolonged hospitalization (OR 1.29), non-routine discharges (OR 1.36), and readmission (OR 1.33). Black patients had longer stays than White patients (OR 1.3). Despite adjustments, in-hospital mortality did not significantly differ among neighborhoods. CONCLUSION: Our study reveals that patients residing in distressed neighborhoods face a higher risk of prolonged hospitalization, non-routine discharges, and readmission rate after colon resection.