The relationship between neighborhood economic deprivation and asthma-associated emergency department visits in Maryland.

BACKGROUND

Asthma represents a substantial public health challenge in the United States, affecting over 25 million adults. This study investigates the impact of neighborhood economic deprivation on asthma-associated Emergency Department (ED) visits in Maryland, using the Distressed Communities Index (DCI) for analysis.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of Maryland's Emergency Department Databases from January 2018 to December 2020 was conducted, focusing on asthma-associated ED visits.

RESULTS

The study involved 185,317 ED visits, majority of which were females (56.3%) and non-Hispanic whites (65.2%). A significant association was found between increased neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation and asthma-related ED visits. The poorest neighborhoods showed the highest rates of such visits. Compared to prosperous areas, neighborhoods classified from Comfortable to Distressed had progressively higher odds for asthma-related ED visits (Comfortable: OR = 1.14, Distressed OR = 1.65). Other significant asthma predictors included obesity, female gender, tobacco smoking, and older age.

CONCLUSION

There is a substantive association between higher asthma-related ED visits and high neighborhood economic deprivation, underscoring the impact of socioeconomic factors on health outcomes.

PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

Addressing healthcare disparities and improving access to care in economically distressed neighborhoods is crucial. Targeted interventions, such as community health clinics and asthma education programs, can help mitigate the impact of neighborhood disadvantage.