Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on Time to Surgery for Distal Radius Fractures

Autor: Troy Marxen, MD, Chris Stewart, MD, Amir Razavi, MD, Sam Payne, MD, Paul Ghareeb, MD
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open, Vol 12, Iss 5, p e5838 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2169-7574
00000000
DOI: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000005838
Popis: Background:. Delay in care secondary to socioeconomic status (SES) and demographic factors represents an area for potential improvement. Reducing time to surgery in distal radius fracture (DRF) fixation may improve outcomes while reducing cost. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of SES on time to surgery in our study population. Methods:. Patients undergoing outpatient DRF surgery within an academic healthcare system during a 4-year period were reviewed. Time to surgery and demographic factors were analyzed. The US Census Bureau was used to determine median household income (MHI) for a patient’s ZIP code; patients were stratified into three groups based on MHI. Results:. A total of 413 patients met inclusion criteria. SES (14.7 d in the low-SES group, 14.0 d in the mid-SES group, and 11.1 d in the high-SES group, P = 0.00063), insurance (11.7 d for insured versus 16.3 d for Medicaid/uninsured, P < 0.0001), race (non-White group: 15.2 d versus White group: 10.9 d, P < 0.0001), and treatment facility (16.2 d at county hospital versus 10.9 d at university hospital, P < 0.0001) were associated with time to surgery in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis found that only treatment facility was associated with time to surgery. Conclusions:. Non-White, uninsured/Medicaid individuals residing in low-SES areas may be more likely to receive care at a safety-net facility and are at greatest risk for delay in time to surgery. Measures aimed to reduce barriers to care, increase healthcare coverage, and improve patient education should be initiated to mitigate these disparities.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals