1
|
Hagan MJ, Pertsch NJ, Leary OP, Zheng B, Camara-Quintana JQ, Niu T, Mueller K, Boghani Z, Telfeian AE, Gokaslan ZL, Oyelese AA, Fridley JS. Influence of psychosocial and sociodemographic factors in the surgical management of traumatic cervicothoracic spinal cord injury at level I and II trauma centers in the United States. JOURNAL OF SPINE SURGERY 2021; 7:277-288. [PMID: 34734132 DOI: 10.21037/jss-21-37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Background Socioeconomic factors can bias clinician decision-making in many areas of medicine. Psychosocial characteristics such as diagnosis of alcoholism, substance abuse, and major psychiatric disorder are emerging as potential sources of conscious and unconscious bias. We hypothesized that these psychosocial factors, in addition to socioeconomic factors, may impact the decision to operate on patients with a traumatic cervicothoracic fracture and associated spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods We performed a cohort analysis using clinical data from 2012-2016 in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Trauma Data Bank at academic level I and II trauma centers. Patients were eligible if they had a diagnosis of cervicothoracic fracture with SCI. Using ICD codes, we evaluated baseline characteristics including race; insurance status; diagnosis of alcoholism, substance abuse, or major psychiatric disorder; admission drug screen and blood alcohol level; injury characteristics and severity; and hospital characteristics including geographic region, non-profit status, university affiliation, and trauma level. Factors significantly associated with surgical intervention in univariate analysis were eligible for inclusion in multivariate logistic regression. Results We identified 6,655 eligible patients, of whom 62% underwent surgical treatment (n=4,137). Patients treated non-operatively were more likely to be older; be female; be Black or Hispanic; have Medicare, Medicaid, or no insurance; have been assaulted; have been injured by a firearm; have thoracic fracture; have less severe injuries; have severe TBI; be treated at non-profit hospitals; and be in the Northeast or Western U.S. (all P<0.01). After adjusting for confounders in multivariate analysis, only insurance status remained associated with operative treatment. Medicaid patients (OR=0.81; P=0.021) and uninsured patients (OR=0.63; P<0.001) had lower odds of surgery relative to patients with private insurance. Injury severity and facility characteristics also remained significantly associated with surgical management following multivariate regression. Conclusions Psychosocial characteristics such as diagnosis of alcoholism, substance abuse, or psychiatric illness do not appear to bias the decision to operate after traumatic cervicothoracic fracture with SCI. Baseline sociodemographic imbalances were explained largely by insurance status, injury, and facility characteristics in multivariate analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Hagan
- The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Nathan J Pertsch
- The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Owen P Leary
- The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Bryan Zheng
- The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Joaquin Q Camara-Quintana
- The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Tianyi Niu
- The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Kyle Mueller
- The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Zain Boghani
- The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Albert E Telfeian
- The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Ziya L Gokaslan
- The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Adetokunbo A Oyelese
- The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Jared S Fridley
- The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Fuentes MM, Moore M, Qiu Q, Quistberg A, Frank M, Vavilala MS. Differences in Injury Characteristics and Outcomes for American Indian/Alaska Native People Hospitalized with Traumatic Injuries: an Analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2019; 6:335-344. [PMID: 30276637 PMCID: PMC6424619 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-018-0529-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Revised: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study compares characteristics of American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) hospitalized for traumatic injury and examines the effect of race on hospital disposition. METHODS Using 2007-2014 National Trauma Data Bank data, we described differences in demographic and injury characteristics between AI/AN (n = 39,656) and NHWs (n = 3,309,484) hospitalized with traumatic injuries. Multivariable regressions, adjusted for demographic and injury characteristics, compared in-hospital mortality and the risk of discharge to different dispositions (inpatient rehabilitation/long-term care facility, skilled nursing facility, home with home health services) rather than home between AI/AN and NHW patients. RESULTS Compared to NHWs, a higher proportion of AI/ANs were age 19-44 (49% versus 27%) years and hospitalized with assault-related injuries (25% versus 5%). AI/ANs had lower odds of dying than NHWs during hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.72, 95% CI 0.63-0.84). However, AI/ANs also had lower odds than NHWs to discharge to locations with additional health services even after controlling for injury severity (inpatient rehabilitation/long-term care facilities aOR 0.79, 95% CI 0.67-0.93; skilled nursing facility aOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49-0.98; home with home health services aOR 0.62, 95% CI 0.49-0.79). CONCLUSIONS Injury patterns and acute hospitalization outcomes were significantly different for AI/ANs compared to NHWs. Injury prevention strategies targeting AI/ANs should reflect these differential injury patterns. Outcomes such as disability and access to rehabilitation services should be included when considering the burden of injury among AI/AN communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Molly M Fuentes
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Center for Child Health Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Megan Moore
- Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Qian Qiu
- Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alex Quistberg
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Matthew Frank
- Albuquerque Area Southwest Tribal Epidemiology Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Monica S Vavilala
- Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
No Disparity for American Indians in Surgery for Pelvis/Lower Extremity Fractures: a Cohort Study of the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB). J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2016; 4:725-734. [PMID: 27553053 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-016-0276-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Racial/ethnic disparities in trauma care have been reported. The American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population faces a twofold to fourfold increase of risk for traumatic injury. We hypothesized that surgical intervention and time to surgery were associated with race/ethnicity, specifically AI/AN compared to other race/ethnicity groups with open pelvic and lower extremity fractures (OPLEFx). METHODS Non-AI/AN racial/ethnic groups were compared to AI/ANs among adults aged 15 years and older using the National Trauma Data Bank for 2008-2012. OPLEFx were identified via ICD-9-CM. Predictors of surgery and time to surgery were modeled via logistic regression and survival analyses. RESULTS AI/AN patients (2.7 %, n = 206) were younger (36 ± 16 versus 41 ± 18 years, p < 0.001) and more likely to have Medicaid and other government insurance. There were no differences in AI/ANs versus non-AI/ANs undergoing surgery (88.4 versus 86.8 %, respectively) or time to surgery (11.7 ± 25.3 versus 12.0 ± 22.5 h, respectively). Injury severity was predictive of surgery in all six models (OR = 0.04 to 0.32). A race-gender interaction increased odds of surgery in the AI/AN versus all other races model (OR = 3.58, 95 % CI 1.18-10.84) and in three of five pairwise models. Median time to surgery varied by race, favoring AI/ANs with least preoperative time. CONCLUSION The AI/AN population experienced no disparities in rate of, or time to, OPLEFx surgery. Race-specific predictors for surgery included gender, probability of death, and multiple fractures. More study is warranted to ameliorate trauma care disparities and achieve reasonably equitable care as demonstrated in AI/ANs with OPLEFx.
Collapse
|