Social determinants of health and patient-level mortality prediction after trauma

The effect of social determinants of health on patient outcomes in acute trauma: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Social determinants of health (SDoH) may mediate disparities, but their effect on outcomes after trauma is not well known. The purpose of this review is to improve existing gaps of knowledge for a broad range of SDoH and trauma-related outcomes.

METHODS

This was a systematic search to identify studies that evaluated the effect of race, insurance status, socioeconomic status (SES), health literacy, and community deprivation on inpatient mortality, morbidity, and post-discharge health care utilization in diverse trauma populations ≥16 years. Data were extracted on study design, patient and injury characteristics, outcomes, and covariates. Qualitative analysis was performed and reported results were stratified by exposure. An overall assessment of the strength of evidence for key clinically relevant comparisons was conducted.

RESULTS

60 studies were included. Overall, race was not meaningfully predictive of mortality or morbidity, with evidence reporting inconsistent or small magnitude of effects. However, African American/Black race was consistently associated with decreased odds of discharge to rehabilitation. Compared to insured patients, uninsured patients may have greater mortality risk and be less likely to discharge to rehabilitation. Studies evaluating health literacy or community deprivation reported conflicting results.

CONCLUSIONS

Disparities related to race are most profound for post-discharge health care utilization, while insurance status may be a strong negative predictor of both mortality and discharge disposition. More research is needed on health literacy and community deprivation to better understand mechanisms of disparity after trauma. Interventions targeted at improving continuity of inpatient and outpatient care may be beneficial.

Enrolling high-acuity emergency general surgery patients in a prospective longitudinal cohort study

Over 3 million patients are admitted to hospitals annually with high-acuity conditions mandating emergency abdominal or skin/soft-tissue operations. Patients with these high-acuity emergency general surgery (HA-EGS) diseases experience significant morbidity and mortality, yet the quality-of-life impact on survivors is not well studied. Acuity, transfer patterns, and adverse social determinants of health documented in epidemiologic studies are cited reasons for inability to measure patient-reported outcomes among HA-EGS survivors. We conducted a feasibility study to understand facilitators/barriers to conducting prospective studies of changes in quality of life after surviving HA-EGS. From September 2019 to April 2021, we collected baseline (preadmission) and 30/60 days' postsurgery data on activities of daily living, depression, self-efficacy, resilience, pain, work limitations, social support, and substance use from patients who enrolled in the study during index hospitalization. One hundred patients consented to participate (71.9% enrollment rate). The retention rate was 65.9% for 30-day follow-up telephone calls and 53.8% for 60-day follow-up calls. Median time needed to complete each time point remained under 25 minutes. Patients with a longer length of stay and nicotine users had higher odds of not completing their 30-day interview, while those with systemic complications had higher odds of not completing their 60-day interview. These results lay the foundation for future patient-reported outcome studies.

National analysis of health-related social needs among adult injury survivors

BACKGROUND

Despite advances in trauma care, the effects of social determinants of health continue to be a barrier to optimal health outcomes. Health-related social needs (HRSNs), now the basis of a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services national screening program, may contribute to poor health outcomes, inequities, and low-value care, but the impact of HRSNs among injured patients remains poorly understood at the national level.

METHODS

Using data from the nationally representative 2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, injured patients were matched with uninjured controls via coarsened exact matching on age and sex. We then determined the prevalence of HRSNs based on core needs identified by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: food, utilities, living situation, transportation, and personal safety. We used multivariable regression models to evaluate the association between HRSNs and health, delays in care, and emergency department visits.

RESULTS

Overall, 43% of injured patients reported one or more HRSNs. Compared with uninjured controls, injured patients were more likely to have unmet needs in all five HRSN domains (adjusted odds ratio, 1.44-2.00; p < 0.05 for all). In stratified analyses, HRSNs were highest among patients with lower income (65.1%), those who identified as Non-Hispanic Black patients (61.3%), and patients with Medicaid (66.1%). Increasing number of HRSNs was associated with worse physical and mental health ( p < 0.05). Injured patients with three or more HRSNs were also more likely to delay care because of cost (adjusted odds ratio, 3.79; 95% confidence interval, 2.29-6.27) and had greater emergency department utilization (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 1.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-1.87).

CONCLUSION

In this nationally representative study, nearly half of injured patients had one or more HRSNs. Greater numbers of HRSNs were associated with worse health outcomes, delayed care, and low-value care. As national screening for HRSNs is implemented, strategies to address these factors are needed and may serve to optimize health and health care utilization among injury survivors.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level III.

A Scoping Review and Assessment of the Area-Level Composite Measures That Estimate Social Determinants of Health Across the United States

OBJECTIVES

Evidence-informed population health initiatives often leverage data from various sources, such as epidemiologic surveillance data and administrative datasets. Recent interest has arisen in using area-level composite measures describing a community's social risks to inform the development and implementation of health policies, including payment reform initiatives. Our objective was to capture the breadth of available area-level composite measures that describe social determinants of health (SDH) and have potential for application in population health and policy work.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review of the scientific literature from 2010 to 2022 to identify multifactorial indices and rankings reflected in peer-reviewed literature that estimate SDH and that have publicly accessible data sources. We discovered several additional composite measures incidental to the scoping review process. Literature searches for each composite measure aimed to contextualize common applications in public health investigations.

RESULTS

From 491 studies, we identified 31 composite measures and categorized them into 8 domains: environmental conditions and pollution, opportunity and infrastructure, deprivation and well-being, COVID-19, rurality, food insecurity, emergency response and community resilience, and health. Composite measures are applied most often as an independent variable associated with disparities, risk factors, and/or outcomes affecting individuals, populations, communities, and health systems.

CONCLUSIONS

Area-level composite measures describing SDH have been applied to wide-ranging population health work. Social risk indicators may enable policy makers, evaluators, and researchers to better assess community risks and needs, thereby facilitating the evidence-informed development, implementation, and study of initiatives that aim to improve population health.

A comparison of traumatic injury characteristics in rural and urban adults living in Wisconsin

PURPOSE

Rural compared to urban populations have higher age-adjusted injury mortality rates. We sought to describe differences in traumatic injury mechanisms, severity, and mortality in Wisconsin adults in rural and urban areas.

METHODS

State trauma registry data were analyzed for adult patients injured in 2021-2022. The Wisconsin Health Innovation Program's rural and urban classification scheme, consisting of urban advantaged, urban, urban underserved, rural advantaged, rural, and rural underserved groups, was used. Multivariable logistic regression models for in-hospital injury mortality and prolonged length of stay (LOS) were developed.

FINDINGS

Overall, 47,460 patients were included; 14.3% in rural, 9.5% in rural advantaged, 4.1% in rural underserved areas, 35.4% in urban, 22.0% in urban advantaged, and 14.8% in urban underserved areas. Firearm and pedestrian injuries were more common in urban areas, and motor vehicle/transportation injuries were common in rural areas. Lower odds of prolonged LOS were observed in those residing in rural advantaged (OR = 0.70, 95%CI: 0.55-0.90; p = 0.004), rural (OR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.53-0.82; p < 0.001), and rural underserved (OR = 0.64, 95%CI: 0.50-0.82; p < 0.001) compared to urban advantaged areas. Those in rural underserved areas had higher odds of in-hospital mortality (OR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.15-1.91; p = 0.003) compared to urban advantaged areas.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients in rural Wisconsin experienced different injury mechanisms than in urban areas. Those in urban areas were more likely to have a prolonged hospital LOS, but those in rural underserved areas had higher in-hospital mortality. Rural populations may benefit from injury prevention specific to the mechanisms of injury in that area and resource allocation to enhance trauma services.

Socioeconomic disadvantage is a leading variable in risk score for major amputation following emergent infrainguinal arterial bypass surgery

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to identify patients at particularly high risk for major amputation after emergent infrainguinal bypass to help tailor postoperative and long-term patient management.

METHODS

In the Vascular Quality Initiative, we identified 2126 patients who underwent emergent infrainguinal artery bypass. Two primary outcomes were investigated: major ipsilateral amputation above the ankle level during the index hospitalization and major amputation above the ankle at any time after emergent infrainguinal bypass surgery (perioperative and postdischarge combined). Binary logistic regression analysis was performed for each outcome using variables that achieved a univariable P value of ≤.10. We then determined which variables have a multivariable association for the outcomes as defined by a regression P value of ≤.05. A risk score was then created for the outcome of amputation after emergent infrainguinal bypass using weighted beta-coefficient. Variables with a multivariable P value of ≤.05 were included in the risk score and weighted based on their respective regression beta-coefficient in a point scale.

RESULTS

Overall, 17.1% of patients (368/2126) underwent major amputation at some point in follow-up after emergent infrainguinal artery bypass. The mean follow-up duration on the amputation variable was 261 days with the end point being time of amputation or time of last follow-up data on the amputation variable. Variables with a significant multivariable association (P < .05) with major amputation at any point after emergent infrainguinal arterial bypass were home status in top 10% (most deprived) of Area Deprivation Index, prior infrainguinal ipsilateral arterial bypass, prior ipsilateral endovascular arterial intervention, prosthetic bypass conduit, postoperative skin/soft tissue infection, and postoperative need to revise or thrombectomize bypass. Pertinent negatives on multivariable analysis included all baseline comorbidities, insurance status, race, and gender. There is steep progression in amputation rate ranging from 5% at scores of 0 and 1 to >60% for scores in of >10. Area under the curve analysis revealed a value of 0.706.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients living in the most disadvantaged socioeconomic neighborhoods have an increased risk of amputation after emergent infrainguinal arterial bypass independent of baseline comorbidities and perioperative events. Baseline comorbidities are not impactful regarding amputation rates after emergent infrainguinal bypass surgery. The need for bypass revision or thrombectomy during the index hospitalization is the most impactful factor toward amputation after emergency bypass. A risk score with quality accuracy has been developed to help identify patients at particularly high likelihood of limb loss, which may aid in counseling regarding heightened vigilance in postoperative and long-term follow-up care.

Mortality risk factors for adult trauma patients treated with halo brace for cervical spine fracture

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Halo braces treat upper cervical spine fractures and serve as the most rigid form of external immobilization. Recently, halo braces have lost favor due to known complications and advances in surgical stabilization. This study aims to determine the contemporary incidence for use of halo braces and identify risk factors associated with mortality in trauma patients undergoing halo brace for cervical spine fractures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The 2017-2019 Trauma Quality Improvement Program Database was queried for patients ≥18 years-old with a cervical spine fracture undergoing halo brace. Patients sustaining penetrating trauma and severe torso injuries (abbreviated injury scale >3 for the abdomen or thorax) were excluded. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

From 144,434 patients with a cervical spine fracture, 272 (0.2%) underwent halo brace and 14 (5%) of these died. Those who died were older (73.5 vs. 53 years-old, p = 0.011) and had higher rates of hypertension (78.6% vs 33.1%, p < 0.001) and chronic kidney disease (14.3% vs. 1.2%, p < 0.001). Glasgow Coma Scale ≤8 (46.2% vs. 8.2%, p < 0.001) and cervical spinal cord injury (71.4% vs. 21.3%, p < 0.001) were more common in patients who died. In addition, those who died more often sustained respiratory complications (7.1% vs. 0.4%, p = 0.004) and sepsis (7.1% vs. 0.4%, p = 0.004). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, only Glasgow Coma Scale ≤8 (OR 19.77, 3.04-128.45, p = 0.002) was associated with increased mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Only 5% of cervical spine fracture patients undergoing halo brace died. Respiratory complications and sepsis were more common in those who died. On multivariable analysis only Glasgow Coma Scale ≤8 remained an independent associated risk factor for mortality.

Analysis of Social Determinants of Health in the Pediatric General Surgical Population of a Northeastern Urban Health System

BACKGROUND

Social determinants of health (SDOH) have been identified as factors that influence patient health outcomes. These are well described in adult and pediatric general populations, however, there is a paucity of data for surgical patients. This study compares the prevalence of health-related social needs (HRSN) among pediatric surgery and general pediatric patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively assessed electronic health record data to identify patients who completed a standardized HRSN screener within our health system and underwent surgery by a pediatric surgeon between January 2019 and December 2021. We compared this population to non-surgical pediatric patients during this time. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to estimate the likelihood of having 1 or more HRSN given a patient's surgery status. Logistic and linear regressions were conducted to estimate healthcare utilization in pediatric surgery patients given their HRSN status.

RESULTS

33,989 general pediatric and pediatric surgery patients (age <21 years) were screened for HRSNs, and 2112 operations were performed during the study period. 343 (20%) of the surgical patients operated on by pediatric surgeons were screened for HRSNs. Surgical patients were more likely to be younger, Latinx, Spanish-speaking, and non-commercially insured (p < 0.0001). Surgical patients were 50% more likely to report one or more HRSN, when adjusting for demographic characteristics (aOR 1.50, 95% CI 1.16, 1.94).

CONCLUSION

Pediatric surgery patients are more likely to report HRSNs compared to the general pediatric population. Surgical patients may represent an at-risk group, and universal HRSN screening and support should be considered to improve outcomes.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Area deprivation index and social vulnerability index in Milwaukee County: Impact on hospital outcomes after traumatic injuries

BACKGROUND

Predisposing factors for traumatic injuries are complex and variable. Neighborhood environments may influence injury mechanism or outcomes. The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) identifies areas at risk for emergencies; Area Deprivation Index (ADI) measures socioeconomic disadvantage. The objective was to assess the impact of SVI or ADI on hospital length of stay (LOS) and mortality for injured patients to determine whether SVI or ADI indicated areas where injury prevention may be most impactful.

METHODS

Adult patients who resided in Milwaukee County and were treated for injuries from 2015 to 2022 at a level I trauma center were included. Patients' addresses were geocoded and merged with 2020 state-level SVI and ADI measures. SVI ranks census tracts 0-100 from least to most vulnerable. ADI ranks census block groups 1-10 from least to most disadvantaged. ADI and SVI rankings were converted to deciles. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and regression models for LOS and in-hospital mortality, adjusted for either SVI or ADI within separate models, age, sex, race or ethnicity, mechanism of injury (MOI), injury severity score (ISS).

RESULTS

14,542 patients were included; 63 % were male. Mean total hospital LOS was 6.4 ± 9.8 days, and in-hospital mortalities occurred in 5.2 % of patients. Based on SVI and ADI, 5,280 (36 %) patients resided in high vulnerability areas and 5,576 (39 %) lived in highly disadvantaged areas, respectively. After adjusting for patient factors, SVI deciles #6, 9, 10 were associated with increased hospital LOS, and SVI decile #5 was associated with in-hospital mortality (OR = 2.22, 95 %CI:1.06-4.63; p = 0.034). When adjusted for ADI, the 7th-10th deciles were associated with increased hospital LOS. Greater age and ISS were associated with increased hospital LOS and mortality when adjusted for SVI and ADI.

CONCLUSIONS

SVI and ADI identified a similar proportion of patients in high vulnerability or disadvantaged areas. Higher SVI and ADI deciles were associated with longer hospital LOS, and only the 5th SVI decile was associated with in-hospital mortality. Highly disadvantaged or vulnerable areas may have a longer LOS, but SVI and ADI have limited influence on trauma mortality. Continued research on neighborhood and community factors and trauma outcomes is needed.

Interpersonal Violence and Social Determinants of Health

Social determinants of health (SDOH) influence patient outcomes and risk assessment. This study focuses on interpersonal violence, trauma outcomes, and SDOH. We hypothesized patients with lower SDOH experience worse trauma outcomes and present from higher-risk communities. Demographics, SDOH, and outcomes for patients admitted to surgical trauma suffering interpersonal violence were collected and analyzed. Home addresses were plotted, identifying areas of need compared with Area Deprivation Index (ADI). Only 18.8% of patients had documented SDOH, yielding small sample size. Analysis revealed no statistically significant associations (P < .05) between SDOH and trauma outcomes, including ICU length of stay and stress concern (P = .0804). Heat mapping revealed several hot spots across our catchment area, correlating with higher-ranked ADIs and increased deprivation. This study demonstrated SDOH can bring value in determining patient risk, emphasizing resource dedication to documenting these factors. Home addresses in conjunction with ADIs can ascertain areas for resource allocation within communities.

Determinants of long-term physical and mental health outcomes after intensive care admission for trauma survivors

INTRODUCTION

Collectively, studies from medical and surgical intensive care units (ICU) suggest that long-term outcomes are poor for patients who have spent significant time in an ICU. We sought to identify determinants of post-intensive care physical and mental health outcomes 6-12 months after injury.

METHODS

Adult trauma patients [ISS ≥9] admitted to one of three Level-1 trauma centers were interviewed 6-12 months post-injury to evaluate patient-reported outcomes. Patients requiring ICU admission ​≥ ​3 days ("ICU patients") were compared with those who did not require ICU admission ("non-ICU patients"). Multivariable regression models were built to identify factors associated with poor outcomes among ICU survivors.

RESULTS

2407 patients were followed [598 (25%) ICU and 1809 (75%) non-ICU patients]. Among ICU patients, 506 (85%) reported physical or mental health symptoms. Of them, 265 (52%) had physical symptoms only, 15 (3%) had mental symptoms only, and 226 (45%) had both physical and mental symptoms. In adjusted analyses, compared to non-ICU patients, ICU patients were more likely to have new limitations for ADLs (OR ​= ​1.57; 95% CI ​= ​1.21, 2.03), and worse SF-12 mental (mean Δ ​= ​-1.43; 95% CI ​= ​-2.79, -0.09) and physical scores (mean Δ ​= ​-2.61; 95% CI ​= ​-3.93, -1.28). Age, female sex, Black race, lower education level, polytrauma, ventilator use, history of psychiatric illness, and delirium during ICU stay were associated with poor outcomes in the ICU-admitted group.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical impairment and mental health symptoms following ICU stay are highly prevalent among injury survivors. Modifiable ICU-specific factors such as early liberation from ventilator support and prevention of delirium are potential targets for intervention.

What medical-legal partnerships can do for trauma patients and trauma care

ABSTRACT

Trauma patients are particularly vulnerable to the impact of preexisting social and legal determinants of health postinjury. Trauma patients have a wide range of legal needs, including housing, employment, debt, insurance coverage, and access to federal and state benefits. Legal support could provide vital assistance to address the social determinants of health for injured patients. Medical legal partnerships (MLPs) embed legal professionals within health care teams to improve health by addressing legal needs that affect health. Medical legal partnerships have a successful track record in oncology, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and pediatrics, but have been little used in trauma. We conducted a scoping review to describe the role of MLPs and their potential to improve health outcomes for patients with traumatic injuries. We found that MLPs use legal remedies to address a variety of social and structural conditions that could affect patient health across several patient populations, such as children with asthma and patients with cancer. Legal intervention can assist patients in obtaining stable and healthy housing, employment opportunities, debt relief, access to public benefits, and immigration assistance. Medical legal partnership structure varies across institutions. In some, MLP lawyers are employed directly by a health care institution. In others, MLPs function as partnerships between a health system and an external legal organization. Medical legal partnerships have been found to reduce hospital readmissions, increase treatment utilization by patients, decrease patient stress levels, and benefit health systems financially. This scoping review outlines the potential of MLPs to improve outcomes for injured patients. Establishing trauma-focused MLPs could be a feasible intervention for trauma centers around the country seeking to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities for injured patients.

Cues to care: Chronic disease diagnosis in young adult trauma patients

BACKGROUND

Prevention of chronic disease necessitates early diagnosis and intervention. In young adults, a trauma admission may be an early contact with the health care system, representing an opportunity for screening and intervention. This study estimates the prevalence of previously diagnosed disease and undiagnosed disease (UD)-diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, and alcohol and substance use-in a young adult trauma population. We determine factors associated with UD and examine outcomes in patients with UD.

METHODS

This is a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of adult trauma patients 18 to 40 years old admitted to participating Level I trauma centers between January 2018 and December 2020. Three Level 1 trauma centers in a single state participated in the study. Trauma registry data and chart review were examined for evidence of previously diagnosed disease or UD. Patient demographics and outcomes were compared between cohorts. Multivariable regression modeling was performed to assess risk factors associated with any UD.

RESULTS

The analysis included 6,307 admitted patients. Of these, 4,843 (76.8%) had evidence of at least 1 UD, most commonly hypertension and obesity. In multivariable models, factors most associated with risk of UD were age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98-0.99), male sex (aOR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.25-1.63), and uninsured status (aOR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.38-1.80). Only 24.5% of patients had evidence of a primary care provider (PCP), which was not associated with decreased odds of UD. Clinical outcomes were significantly associated with the presence of chronic disease. Of those with UD and no PCP, only 11.2% were given a referral at discharge.

CONCLUSION

In the young adult trauma population, the UD burden is high, especially among patients with traditional sociodemographic risk factors and even in patients with a PCP. Because of short hospital stays in this population, the full impact of UD may not be visible during a trauma admission. Early chronic disease diagnosis in this population will require rigorous, standard screening measures initiated within trauma centers.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level IV.

The Impact of Relocating a Trauma Center: Retrospective Observations on Payer Demographics and Cost-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Standardization of trauma centers improves quality of care, yet that comes with financial challenges. The decision to designate a trauma center typically focuses on access, quality of care, and the needs of the local community, but less often considers the financial viability of the trauma center. A level-1 trauma center was relocated in 2017 and this presented an opportunity to compare financial data at two separate locations in the same city.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed on the local trauma registry and billing database in all patients aged ≥19 years on the trauma service before and after the move.

RESULTS

3041 patients were included (pre-move: 1151; post-move: 1890). After the move, patients were older (9.5 years), and more were females (14.9%) and white (16.5%). Increases in blunt injuries (7.6%), falls (14.8%), and motor vehicle accidents (1.7%) were observed after the move. After the move, patients were less likely to be discharged home (6.5%) and more likely to go to a skilled nursing facility (3%) or inpatient rehabilitation (5.5%). Post-move more patients had Medicare (12.6%) or commercial (8.5%) insurance and charges per patient decreased by $2,833, while charges collected per patient increased by $2425. Patients were seen from a broader distribution of zip codes post-move.

DISCUSSION

Relocating a trauma center did improve financial viability for this institution. Future studies should consider the impact on the surrounding community and other trauma centers.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

Trends in disparities research on trauma and acute care surgery outcomes: A 10-year systematic review of articles published in The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery

ABSTRACT

This is a 10-year review of The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery (JTACS) literature related to health care disparities, health care inequities, and patient outcomes. A retrospective review of articles published in JTACS between January 1, 2013, and July 15, 2022, was performed. Articles screened included both adult and pediatric trauma populations. Included articles focused on patient populations related to trauma, surgical critical care, and emergency general surgery. Of the 4,178 articles reviewed, 74 met the inclusion criteria. Health care disparities related to gender (n = 10), race/ethnicity (n = 12), age (n = 14), income status (n = 6), health literacy (n = 6), location and access to care (n = 23), and insurance status (n = 13) were described. Studies published on disparities peaked in 2016 and 2022 with 13 and 15 studies respectively but dropped to one study in 2017. Studies demonstrated a significant increase in mortality for patients in rural geographical regions and in patients without health insurance and a decrease in patients who were treated at a trauma center. Gender disparities resulted in variable mortality rates and studied factors, including traumatic brain injury mortality and severity, venous thromboembolism, ventilator-associated pneumonia, firearm homicide, and intimate partner violence. Under-represented race/ethnicity was associated with variable mortality rates, with one study demonstrating increased mortality risk and three finding no association between race/ethnicity and mortality. Disparities in health literacy resulted in decreased discharge compliance and worse long-term functional outcomes. Studies on disparities in JTACS over the last decade primarily focused on location and access to health care, age, insurance status, and race, with a specific emphasis on mortality. This review highlights the areas in need of further research and funding in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery regarding health care disparities in trauma aimed at interventions to reduce disparities in patient care, ensure equitable care, and inform future approaches targeting health care disparities.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Systematic Review; Level IV.

DeepBiomarker2: Prediction of alcohol and substance use disorder risk in post-traumatic stress disorder patients using electronic medical records and multiple social determinants of health

Introduction

Prediction of high-risk events amongst patients with mental disorders is critical for personalized interventions. In our previous study, we developed a deep learning-based model, DeepBiomarker by utilizing electronic medical records (EMR) to predict the outcomes of patients with suicide-related events in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients.

Methods

We improved our deep learning model to develop DeepBiomarker2 through data integration of multimodal information: lab tests, medication use, diagnosis, and social determinants of health (SDoH) parameters (both individual and neighborhood level) from EMR data for outcome prediction. We further refined our contribution analysis for identifying key factors. We applied DeepBiomarker2 to analyze EMR data of 38,807 patients from University of Pittsburgh Medical Center diagnosed with PTSD to determine their risk of developing alcohol and substance use disorder (ASUD).

Results

DeepBiomarker2 predicted whether a PTSD patient will have a diagnosis of ASUD within the following 3 months with a c-statistic (receiver operating characteristic AUC) of 0·93. We used contribution analysis technology to identify key lab tests, medication use and diagnosis for ASUD prediction. These identified factors imply that the regulation of the energy metabolism, blood circulation, inflammation, and microbiome is involved in shaping the pathophysiological pathways promoting ASUD risks in PTSD patients. Our study found protective medications such as oxybutynin, magnesium oxide, clindamycin, cetirizine, montelukast and venlafaxine all have a potential to reduce risk of ASUDs.

Discussion

DeepBiomarker2 can predict ASUD risk with high accuracy and can further identify potential risk factors along with medications with beneficial effects. We believe that our approach will help in personalized interventions of PTSD for a variety of clinical scenarios.

Impact of the Social Determinants of Health on Adult Trauma Outcomes

Social determinants of health (SDOHs) have been well studied within the literature in the United States but the effects of these determinants of health on patients with trauma have garnered less attention. The interaction between patients with SDOHs and patients with trauma requires clinicians caring for this population to view patients with trauma through a multifaceted lens. The purpose of this article will be to illuminate the drivers of trauma in the adult population and how the SDOHs and the health-care system come together to contribute to disparities in trauma outcomes.

Community distress as a predictor of early hernia recurrence for older adults undergoing ventral hernia repair (VHR)

Background

Social cohesion and neighborhood support have been linked to improved health in a variety of fields, but is not well-studied among the elderly population. This is particularly evident in surgical populations. Therefore, this study sought to assess the potential role of community distress in predicting early hernia recurrence among older adults.

Methods

The Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative (ACHQC) was used to identify patients aged 65 or older undergoing elective ventral hernia repair with zip code data available. Patients were linked to the Distressed Communities Index (DCI), which is a national database that assigns a score of 0–100 to each zip code based on 7 measures of neighborhood prosperity. Quintiles were used to compare groups: prosperous (0–20), comfortable (21–40), mid-tier (41–60), at-risk (61–80), and distressed (81–100). Distressed (0–20), at-risk (21–40), mid-tier (41–60), comfortable (61–80), and prosperous (81–100). Time to recurrence for neighborhood distress quintiles was examined using a Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

In total, 9819 patients were included in the study, including 3056 (31.1%) prosperous, 2307 (23.5%) comfortable, 1795 (18.2%) mid-tier, 1390 (14.2%) at-risk, and 1271 (12.9%) distressed. Distressed communities had lower mean age and greater proportion of racial minorities (p < 0.001). Open repairs were significantly more common among the distressed group (66.7%), as were all comorbidities (p < 0.001). Recurrence-free survival was shorter for distressed communities compared to prosperous after adjusting for baseline characteristics (HR 1.3, 95% CI 1.07–1.67, p = 0.01). Mean time to recurrence was lowest for patients living in distressed communities, indicating the worst recurrence rates, while mean time to recurrence was greatest for those in prosperous zip codes (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Older VHR patients presenting from distressed zip codes, as identified by the Distressed Communities Index, experience hernia recurrence significantly sooner as compared to patients from prosperous zip codes. This study may provide evidence of the role of neighborhood and environmental factors in caring for older patients following VHR.

Graphical abstract

Recent Developments in Mouse Trauma Research Models: A Mini-Review

The urgency to investigate trauma in a controlled and reproducible environment rises since multiple trauma still account for the most deaths for people under the age of 45. The most common multiple trauma include head as well as blunt thorax trauma along with fractures. However, these trauma remain difficult to treat, partially because the molecular mechanisms that trigger the immediate immune response are not fully elucidated. To illuminate these mechanisms, investigators have used animal models, primarily mice as research subjects. This mini review aims to 1) emphasize the importance of the development of clinically relevant murine trauma research, 2) highlight and discuss the existing conflict between simulating clinically relevant situations and elucidating molecular mechanisms, 3) describe the advantages and disadvantages of established mouse trauma models developed to simulate clinically relevant situations, 4) summarize and list established mouse models in the field of trauma research developed to simulate clinically relevant situations.