Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-2024

Abstract

Preventable hospitalizations are common and costly events that burden patients and our health care system. While research suggests that these events are strongly linked to ambulatory care access, emerging evidence suggests they may also be sensitive to a patient’s social, environmental, and economic conditions. This study examines the association between variations in social vulnerability and preventable hospitalization rates. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of county-level preventable hospitalization rates for 33 states linked with data from the 2020 Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). Preventable hospitalizations were 40% higher in the most vulnerable counties compared with the least vulnerable. Adjusted regression results confirm the strong relationship between social vulnerability and preventable hospitalizations. Our results suggest wide variation in community-level preventable hospitalization rates, with robust evidence that variation is strongly related to a community’s social vulnerability. The human toll, societal cost, and preventability of these hospitalizations make understanding and mitigating these inequities a national priority.

Copyright Statement

This article is protected by copyright and reuse is restricted to non-commercial and no derivative uses. Users may also download and save a local copy for the user's personal reference.

Hogg-Graham, R., Benitez, J.A., Lacy, M.E., Bush, J., Lang, J., Nikolaou, H., . . . and Waters, T.M. "Association Between Community Social Vulnerability and Preventable Hospitalizations", Medical Care Research and Review, 81(1), 31-38. Copyright © 2024, The Author(s). Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.1177/10775587231197248

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