Neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage does not predict outcomes or cost after elective shoulder arthroplasty

Area-Level Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Health Care Spending: A Systematic Review

Importance

Publicly available, US Census-based composite measures of socioeconomic disadvantage are increasingly being used in a wide range of clinical outcomes and health services research. Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) are 2 of the most commonly used measures. There is also early interest in incorporating area-level measures to create more equitable alternative payment models.

Objective

To review the evidence on the association of ADI and SVI with health care spending, including claims-based spending and patient-reported barriers to care due to cost.

Evidence Review

A systematic search for English-language articles and abstracts was performed in the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane databases (from inception to March 1, 2023). Peer-reviewed articles and abstracts using a cross-sectional, case-control, or cohort study design and based in the US were identified. Data analysis was performed in March 2023.

Findings

This review included 24 articles and abstracts that used a cross-sectional, case-control, or cohort study design. In 20 of 24 studies (83%), ADI and SVI were associated with increased health care spending. No association was observed in the 4 remaining studies, mostly with smaller sample sizes from single centers. In adjusted models, the increase in spending associated with higher ADI or SVI residence was $574 to $1811 for index surgical hospitalizations, $3003 to $24 075 for 30- and 90-day episodes of care, and $3519 for total annual spending for Medicare beneficiaries. In the studies that explored mechanisms, postoperative complications, readmission risk, and poor primary care access emerged as health care system-related drivers of increased spending.

Conclusions and Relevance

The findings of this systematic review suggest that both ADI and SVI can play important roles in efforts to understand drivers of health care spending and in the design of payment and care delivery programs that capture aspects of social risk. At the health care system level, higher health care spending and poor care access associated with ADI or SVI may represent opportunities to codesign interventions with patients from high ADI or SVI areas to improve access to high-value health care and health promotion more broadly.

Greater Socioeconomic Disadvantage as Measured by the Area Deprivation Index Is Associated With Failure of Healing Following Arthroscopic Repair of Massive Rotator Cuff Tears but Not With Clinical Outcomes

PURPOSE

To analyze the relationship between Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and preoperative status and short-term postoperative clinical outcomes among patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) of massive rotator cuff tears (MRCTs).

METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted on prospectively maintained data on patients who underwent ARCR of MRCTs defined as tear size ≥5 cm or complete tear of at least 2 tendons, with a minimum 2-year follow-up and a valid home address between January 2015 and December 2018. Each patient's home address was mapped to the ADI to determine neighborhood disadvantage. This composite index is composed of 17 census-based indicators, including income, education, employment, and housing quality to quantify the level of socioeconomic deprivation. Ratings were recorded and categorized based on the sample's percentile. Patients were then divided into 2 groups: upper quartile (ie, most disadvantaged [≥75th percentile]) and lower 3 quartiles (ie, least disadvantaged [<75th percentile]). Bivariate analysis was performed to associate ADI with patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and range of motion pre- and postoperatively, as well as complications, healing rate, satisfaction, and return to work. Patients reaching or exceeding the minimal clinically important difference for visual analog scale (VAS), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, Veterans Rand 12-Item questionnaire, and subjective shoulder value were recorded for both cohorts.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine patients were eligible for study analysis. Preoperative PROs and range of motion were similar, except for a greater VAS for pain (6.3 vs 4.3; P < .01) and lower American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score (32.2 vs 45.1; P = .01) in the most disadvantaged group. Both groups showed similar postoperative PROs scores, but greater VAS improvement was seen in the upper quartile group (Δ 4.2 vs Δ 3.0; P = .04). In contrast, only the least-disadvantaged group significantly improved in internal rotation (P = .01) and forward flexion (18°; P < .01) from baseline. Although satisfaction, complications, and return to work were comparable (P > .05), failure of healing occurred more frequently in the most disadvantaged group (21% vs 6%; P = .03).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with MRCTs residing in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods as measured by the ADI have more pain and functional limitations before undergoing ARCR but demonstrate similar postoperative functional improvements to patients from other socioeconomic backgrounds. Failure of healing of MRCTs may be more common in disadvantaged groups. Furthermore, both groups reported similar rates of clinically important functional improvement.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, retrospective cohort comparison.

Socioeconomic Disadvantage Predicts Decreased Likelihood of Maintaining a Functional Knee Arthroplasty Following Treatment for Prosthetic Joint Infection

BACKGROUND

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) carries major morbidity and mortality as well as a complicated and lengthy treatment course. In patients who have high degrees of socioeconomic disadvantage, this may be a particularly devastating complication. Our study sought to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic deprivation on outcomes following treatment for PJI of the knee.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures performed for the treatment of initial PJI between 2008 and 2020 at a single tertiary care center in the United States. The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) was used to quantify socioeconomic deprivation. The primary outcome measure was presence of a functional knee joint at the time of most recent follow-up defined as TKA components or an articulating spacer. A total of 96 patients were included for analysis. The median follow-up duration was 26.5 months.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the rate of treatment failure (P = .63). However, the proportion of patients who had a functional knee arthroplasty (in contrast to having undergone arthrodesis, amputation, or retention of a static spacer) declined significantly with increasing ADI index (81.8% for the least disadvantaged group, 58.7% for the middle group, 42.9% for the most disadvantaged group, P = .021).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who have a higher socioeconomic disadvantage as measured by ADI are less likely to maintain a functional knee arthroplasty following treatment for TKA PJI. These findings support continued efforts to improve access to care and optimize treatment plans for patients who have socioeconomic disadvantage.

Outcome of reverse shoulder arthroplasty secondary to rotator cuff arthropathy in a low-income population

BACKGROUND

Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is a valuable treatment for rotator cuff arthropathy (RCA) in developed regions. Socioeconomic issues impact access to specialized care and there is a lack of data on RSA outcomes in developing regions. We present our 24-month follow-up on RSA surgeries to treat RCA in our low-income population.

METHODS

Prospective evaluation of 26 patients subjected to RSA at Hospital Geral de Fortaleza-CE, Brazil, between January 2018 and December 2020. Literacy [>/≤ 8 school years(SY)] and income were documented. Outcomes considered pain (visual analogue scale; VAS) as well as SSV, SPADI, ASES, and UCLA scoring, and range of motion [forward flexion (FF); external rotation (ER)].

RESULTS

Patients were 68.5 ± 7.6 years-old with 16(61.5%) females; 65% had hypertension and 7 (26.9%) had diabetes. Over 90% declared < 900.00 US$ monthly family earnings and 10 (38.4%) patients declared ≤8 SY with > 80% exerting blue-collar jobs. Pain showed a significant reduction from baseline (8 ± 2) to 24 months (2.1 ± 2.3; p < 0.001). UCLA (10.3 ± 5.6 and 28.6 ± 7.2), ASES (16.7 ± 10.8 and 63.1 ± 28.4), SSV (326 ± 311 and 760 ± 234), and SPADI (98.3 ± 26.5) scores significantly improved from baseline to 24 months, achieving minimal clinically important difference. FF (89.2° ± 51.2° to 140.6 ± 38.3°) and ER (19.2° ± 22.5 to 33.4° ± 20.6°) significantly improved from baseline to 24 months (p = 0.004 and 0.027, respectively). There were 5 non-serious adverse events with one surgical revision. All patients returned to daily life activities.

CONCLUSION

This is the first outcome report 2 years following RSA in a low-income population. Data indicate this procedure is justifiable regardless of socioeconomic issues.

Association of Socioeconomic Status With Relapse After Ponseti Method Treatment of Idiopathic Clubfeet

Background:

The Ponseti method is today’s standard treatment of idiopathic talipes equinovarus (ITEV). Compliance with foot abduction bracing (FABO) and socioeconomic factors have been shown to impact treatment outcome. We wished to further study socioeconomic factors using the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), a more comprehensive way to evaluate socioeconomic status, which has not been done before.

Methods:

All TEV patients from 2010 through 2019 treated with the Ponseti method were reviewed. Standard demographic variables, as well as the number of casts to complete initial correction, FABO compliance, and occurrence of relapse were tabulated. Socioeconomic level was quantified with the 2018 ADI.

Results:

There were 168 children; 151 had typical and 17 complex TEV. Average follow-up was 4.3 ± 1.8 years; relapse occurred in 46%. There were no significant differences in the percentage of relapse by sex, race, or ADI. FABO noncompliance was present in 46%. Relapse increased with increasing time of follow-up and FABO noncompliance (76% vs 21%, P < 10⁻⁶). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that only FABO compliance and length of follow-up were associated with relapse. The OR of relapse for FABO noncompliance was 17.9 (7.6, 42.4, P < 10^–6) and for follow-up >4 years the OR was 4.97 (2.1, 11.70, P = .0003).

Conclusion:

The outcome of the Ponseti method for TEV treatment is dependent on local circumstances. In our state, socioeconomic status, as determined by the ADI, was not associated with the occurrence of relapse. Thus, each center needs to assess its results, and analyze its own reasons for relapse. There were no other demographic variables associated with relapse except FABO compliance and length of follow-up. Parents should be strongly advised that FABO compliance and follow-up appears paramount to achieving the best results, and that complex TEV are at greater risk for relapse.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series