Neurologic Complications of Poverty: the Associations Between Poverty as a Social Determinant of Health and Adverse Neurologic Outcomes

Self-Reported Social Determinants of Health and Area-Level Social Vulnerability

Importance

Many health care systems are investing resources in identifying social determinants of health (SDoH) needs and facilitating interventions among the populations they serve. Because self-reported SDoH information is lacking, area-level measures are often used to estimate needs and direct resources.

Objective

To describe the large-scale deployment of SDoH assessments by a health system and determine the extent to which self-reported SDoH needs identified therein are associated with census tract-level social vulnerability measured using the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI).

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional study assessed SDoH needs between January 1, 2020, and April 30, 2023, in both payer and clinical care settings. Modalities included telephonic outreach, face-to-face clinical interactions, self-entry into a tablet or kiosk, and web-based survey tools. Participants included individuals who responded to the assessment and had sufficient information for census tract identification. Respondents included both Highmark Health Plan members and nonmembers. Health plan members responded to the assessment through health plan programs or platforms, and both members and nonmembers responded to assessments during inpatient or outpatient encounters with the affiliated health system.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Overall and domain-specific SDoH needs self-reported through assessments, and severity and complexity of needs identified. Residential social vulnerability measures included overall SVI and the 4 conceptual themes comprising overall SVI.

Results

In total, 841 874 assessments were recorded for 401 697 individuals (55.1% women; median [IQR] age, 55 [41-70] years). Social determinants of health needs were identified in 120 769 assessments (14.3%). Across all SDoH domains, increasing SVI was associated with a higher positivity rate (eg, 11.2% of those residing in the lowest-risk SVI quintile reported a need compared with 22.7% among those residing in the highest-risk quintile). Associations varied by SDoH domain and SVI theme. After adjusting for demographic and screening characteristics, odds of positive screening among those residing in the highest-risk SVI quintile were 1.74 (95% CI, 1.62-1.86) to 3.73 (95% CI, 3.48-4.00) times the odds among those residing in lowest risk quintile.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cross-sectional study, the overall level of SDoH needs generally corresponded to area-level vulnerability. Some SDoH domains appeared far more sensitive to community characteristics than others. Notably, even among individuals from the highest-risk areas, the positive screening rate was roughly 1 in 4. These findings underscore the importance of individual-level SDoH data for service provision planning and health services research.

Social Determinants of Health Associated With the Need for Urgent Versus Elective Cholecystectomy at an Urban, Safety-Net Hospital

Background: Benign gallstone disease is the most frequent indication for cholecystectomy in the United States. Many patients present with complicated disease requiring urgent interventions, which increases morbidity and mortality. We investigated the association between individual and population-level social determinants of health (SDoH) with urgent versus elective cholecystectomy. Patients and Methods: All patients undergoing cholecystectomy (2014-2021) for benign gallstone disease were included. Demographic and clinical data were linked to population-level SDoH characteristics using census tracts. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: A total of 3,197 patients met inclusion criteria; 1,913 (59.84%) underwent urgent cholecystectomy, 1,204 (37.66%) underwent emergent cholecystectomy, and 80 (2.5%) underwent interval cholecystectomy. On multinomial logistic regression, patients who were older (relative risk [RR], 1.010; p < 0.001), black (RR, 1.634; p = 0.008), and living in census tracts with a higher percent of poverty (RR, 0.017; p = 0.021) had a higher relative risk of presenting for urgent cholecystectomy. Patients who were female (RR, 0.462; p < 0.001), had a primary care provider (PCP; RR, 0.821; p = 0.018), and lived in census tracts with low supermarket access (RR, 0.764; p = 0.038) had a lower relative risk of presenting for urgent cholecystectomy. Only age (RR, 1.066; p < 0.001), female gender (RR, 0.227; p < 0.001), and having a PCP (RR, 1.984; p = 0.034) were associated with presentation for interval cholecystectomy. Conclusions: Patients who were older, black, and living in census tracts with high poverty levels had a higher relative risk of presenting for urgent cholecystectomy at our institution, whereas females and patients with PCPs were more likely to undergo elective cholecystectomy. Improved access to primary care and surgical clinics for all patients at safety-net hospitals may result in improved outcomes in the management of benign gallstone disease by increasing diagnosis and treatment in the elective setting.

The Effects of Health Insurance Coverage on Workforce Engagement of Family Caregivers of Children With Intellectual Disability and Autism

For many families of children with intellectual disability and autism (ID/ASD), private health insurance and public programs, such as Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), are critical sources of support. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of health insurance coverage on workforce engagement of parents of children with ID/ASD. The study utilized 2014-2018 pooled National Health Interview Survey data to construct national estimates and test the effects of health insurance status on parent workforce outcomes. Primary findings indicate significantly higher odds of workforce absence (OR = 2.83, p < .0038) and unemployment (OR = 8.91, p < .0038) among parents with children with ID/ASD using public health insurance, compared to the reference group. Additionally, parents of children with ID/ASD who were uninsured were found to experience significantly higher unemployment (OR = 4.86, p < .0038) than the reference group. Findings have policy and research implications related to workforce engagement for parents, including issues impacting health insurance coverage, specifically related to Medicaid and CHIP.

Recommendations on Social Determinants of Health in Neurologic Disease

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are increasingly recognized as important drivers of inequities in neurologic disease and outcomes. However, our understanding of the biopsychosocial mechanisms by which SDOH affect neurologic disease remains in its infancy. The most robust epidemiologic research has been on the associations between education, schooling, and place-based social determinants on cognition, dementia, and cerebrovascular disease later in life. Further research is needed to more deeply understand the complex interplay of SDOH on neurologic disease. Few SDOH screening tools have been validated in populations with neurologic disease. In addition, comparison across studies and populations is hampered by lack of standardized common data elements. Experiences of populations historically underrepresented in research should be centered in future research studies, and changes should be made in recruitment expectations and measurement choices. For research on inequities, it is critical to support and incentivize institutional infrastructure to foster meaningful engagement with populations affected by research. Finally, it remains to be seen whether individual-level health or behavioral interventions or place-level, systemic or policy interventions to reduce population burden will be most effective in reducing inequities in neurologic disease and outcomes. Although numerous clinical trials have focused on addressing downstream SDOH such as health literacy and health behaviors (e.g., medication adherence, physical activity, diet), few have addressed upstream, structural determinants which may have a more profound impact on addressing inequities in neurologic disease. Ultimately, further research is needed to determine which specific SDOH should be targeted and how, when, and by whom they should be addressed to improve neurologic outcomes.

Improving Adherence to a Mediterranean Ketogenic Nutrition Program for High-Risk Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Trial

(1) Background: Mediterranean ketogenic nutrition (MKN) may directly target multiple neurobiological mechanisms associated with dementia risk in older adults. Despite its promise, this type of nutrition can be challenging to learn and adhere to in a healthy manner. Our team used the National Institutes of Health Obesity Related Behavioral Intervention Trials (NIH ORBIT) model to develop and pilot a program to help older adults with memory concerns use MKN. (2) Methods: Using a two-arm, randomized design, we evaluated an MKN Adherence (MKNA) program compared to an MKN education (MKNE) program (N = 58). The primary difference between study arms involved the use of motivational interviewing (MI) strategies and behavior change techniques (BCT) only in the MKNA arm. Participants were included if they evidenced subjective memory concerns or objective memory impairment on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (Score 19 ≤ 26). Primary outcomes examined included feasibility, acceptability, adherence, and clinical outcomes associated with the program. (3) Results: Overall, there was relatively high program completion in both groups, with 79% of participants completing the 6-week program. The recruitment protocol required adjustment but was successful in reaching the target sample size. Retention (82%) and session attendance (91%) were higher in the MKNA arm compared to the MKNE (retention = 72%; attendance = 77%). Overall, most participants in both groups rated the program as "excellent" using the client satisfaction questionnaire. Participants in the MKNA arm evidenced higher objective and self-reported adherence to MKN during the 6-week program. Further, there was some evidence of clinical benefits of the program, although these effects diminished as adherence decreased in the 3 months follow-up. (4) Discussion: This pilot trial demonstrated that the MKN program incorporating MI and BCT strategies may better engage and retain participants than a nutrition education program alone, although participants in both groups reported high satisfaction.

Exploring Reasons for Differential Vulnerability and Alzheimer's Disease Risk in Racial and Ethnic Minorities

BACKGROUND

African American and Hispanic older adults are reported to have up to a 2-fold higher risk of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD), but the reasons for this increased vulnerability have not been fully explored. The Vulnerability Index (VI) was designed to identify individuals who are at risk of developing cognitive impairment in the future, capturing 12 sociodemographic variables and modifiable medical comorbidities associated with higher ADRD risk. However, a prior limitation of the VI was that the original study cohort had limited diversity. We examined the association of the VI within and between non-Hispanic White, African American, and Hispanic older adults with and without cognitive impairment and different socioeconomic strata enrolled in a community-based dementia screening study.

OBJECTIVE

To explore reasons for reported higher ADRD vulnerability in African Americans and Hispanics.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional study of 300 non-Hispanic White, African American, and Hispanic older adults with and without cognitive impairment, we studied the association between cognitive status, the VI, and socioeconomic status (SES).

RESULTS

When considering race/ethnicity, the presence of more vascular comorbidities drove greater vulnerability. When considering SES, vascular comorbidities played a less prominent role suggesting resources and access to care drives risk. The VI had differential effects on cognitive performance with the greatest effect in the earlier stages of impairment.

CONCLUSION

Findings from this study provide a deeper understanding of the differential risk of ADRD in multicultural older adults captured by the VI and how barriers to healthcare access may increase vulnerability in racial/ethnic minorities.

Medical and Social Determinants of Brain Health and Dementia in a Multicultural Community Cohort of Older Adults

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic status (SES), race, ethnicity, and medical comorbidities may contribute to Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD) health disparities.

OBJECTIVE

Analyze effects of social and medical determinants on cognition in 374 multicultural older adults participating in a community-based dementia screening program.

METHODS

We used the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and AD8 as measures of cognition, and a 3-way race/ethnicity variable (White, African American, Hispanic) and SES (Hollingshead index) as predictors. Potential contributors to health disparities included: age, sex, education, total medical comorbidities, health self-ratings, and depression. We applied K-means cluster analyses to study medical and social dimension effects on cognitive outcomes.

RESULTS

African Americans and Hispanics had lower SES status and cognitive performance compared with similarly aged Whites. We defined three clusters based on age and SES. Cluster #1 and #3 differed by SES but not age, while cluster #2 was younger with midlevel SES. Cluster #1 experienced the worse health outcomes while cluster #3 had the best health outcomes. Within each cluster, White participants had higher SES and better health outcomes, African Americans had the worst physical performance, and Hispanics had the most depressive symptoms. In cross-cluster comparisons, higher SES led to better health outcomes for all participants.

CONCLUSION

SES may contribute to disparities in access to healthcare services, while race and ethnicity may contribute to disparities in the quality and extent of services received. Our study highlights the need to critically address potential interactions between race, ethnicity, and SES which may better explain disparities in ADRD health outcomes.