BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Understanding the impact of social determinants of health (SDoH) on clinical outcomes in conditions such as intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is crucial for enhancing patient management and improving health policy. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of SDoH on the prognosis and clinical outcomes of patients with ICH.

METHODS

This retrospective study used the MARINER165 national administrative database, encompassing medical and surgical claims from January 2010 to October 2022. It adhered to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology reporting guidelines. Patients with ICH were identified using International Classification of Diseases and Current Procedural Terminology codes. Propensity score matching generated 2 cohorts based on SDoH presence. Primary outcomes focused on functional status at 30 days and survival rates at 90 days and 1 year. Functional outcomes included the rates of tracheostomy and gastronomy tube placement, wheelchair dependency, mobility scores, and readmission within 30 days after ICH. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to determine survival rates at 90 days and 1 year after index event. A significance level of < 0.05 was applied.

RESULTS

A total of 481,754 patients with ICH were included, with 240,877 individuals in each cohort after matching. Gender distribution was balanced (50.5% female), and common comorbidities included hypertension (89%), depression (47%), and diabetes mellitus (45%). The SDoH group demonstrated pronounced disparities in food security (87%), social integration (14.2%), and physical environment (8.3%). At 30 days, this group experienced worse functional outcomes with higher rates of tracheostomy (2% vs 0.9%, < 0.001) and G-tube placement (3.2% vs 1.5%, < 0.001), increased wheelchair dependency (3.2% vs 2.5%, < 0.001), and lower mobility scores (3.5 vs 2.7, < 0.001), alongside higher readmission rates (9.8% vs 6.2%, < 0.001). Despite these challenges, the SDoH cohort demonstrated better survival rates at both 90 days (78.1% vs 72.6%, < 0.001) and 1 year (62.1% vs 57.6%, < 0.001).

DISCUSSION

This study underscores significant disparities in functional outcomes and survival rates associated with SDoH among patients with ICH. It highlights the paradox where individuals with SDoH, despite facing greater health-related challenges and higher readmission rates, tend to survive longer. Integrating socioeconomic factors into patient management strategies is crucial for addressing these differences and improving overall health care outcomes.