A Higher Area Deprivation Index is Associated with Increased Medical Complications and Emergency Department Utilizations after Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Introduction: The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) is a weighted index comprised of 17 census-based markers of material deprivation and poverty. The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) in areas of high ADI (greater disadvantage) were associated with differences in 90-day: 1) medical complications; 2) emergency department (ED) utilizations; and 3) readmissions.

Methods: A nationwide database was queried for primary THA patients from 2010 to 2020. The ADI is reported on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher numbers indicating greater disadvantage. Patients undergoing primary THA in regions associated with high ADI (90%+) were compared to those of lower ADI (0 to 89%). A total of 138,670 patients were evenly matched between the two cohorts following 1:1 propensity score matching by age, sex, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI). Primary endpoints were 90-day medical complications, ED utilizations, and readmissions. Multivariable logistic regression models calculated the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). P-values less than 0.01 were statistically significant.

Results: Patients undergoing THA from high ADI had significantly higher rates and odds of developing any medical complications (13.00 versus 11.91%; OR: 1.09, P < 0.0001), including acute kidney injuries (1.83 versus 1.52%; OR: 1.20, P < 0.0001), myocardial infarctions (0.35 versus 0.24%; OR: 1.45, P = 0.0003), and surgical site infections (0.94 versus 0.76%; OR: 1.23, P = 0.0004). High ADI patients had significantly higher rates and odds of ED visits within 90 days (3.94 versus 3.67%; OR: 1.08, P = 0.008). There was no significant difference in readmissions (5.44 versus 5.69%; OR: 0.95, P = 0.034).

Conclusions: Socioeconomically disadvantaged patients have increased odds of 90-day medical complications and ED utilizations, despite comparable 90-day readmission rates. Measures of neighborhood disadvantage may be valuable metrics to inform healthcare policy and improve post-discharge care.