Individual socioeconomic status is associated with mortality rates for patients following acute hip fracture surgery, according to a study published in the October issue of the British Journal of Anaesthesia.
The cross-linked registry-based cohort study, led by Rasmus Ahman of Linkӧping University in Sweden, analyzed 58,641 patients who underwent the procedure in Sweden between 2015 and 2020. Researchers examined all-cause mortality using four specific socioeconomic indicators: income, residential area, receipt of social services, and level of education.
Mortality Rates and Education
The study found that the crude mortality rate at 30 days was 7.9 percent, while the crude two-year mortality rate was 35.3 percent. Among the indicators studied, the strongest association with mortality was the level of education.
Researchers observed a stepwise gradient most pronounced in two-year mortality. Compared to those with more than 12 years of education, the adjusted odds ratios were 1.16 for those with 10 to 12 years, 1.20 for those with nine years, and 1.25 for those with fewer than nine years. This resulted in a 6.3 percent increase in absolute risk for those with more than 12 years of education compared to those with fewer than nine.
Other Socioeconomic Factors
While education showed the strongest link, income and the receipt of social services were also associated with mortality, though less substantially. The researchers found that residential area was not associated with mortality.
Regarding the findings on education, Ahman stated, We’re not saying more people should study further. Rather, level of education can be seen as a marker that helps health care identify patients who may need additional support, for example in the form of tailored information, rehabilitation and follow-up after hospitalization,
according to reports on the research.
