Abstract Details

Title Social Determinants of Health in Urban Patients With Myasthenia Gravis

Topic Neuromuscular and Clinical Neurophysiology (EMG)

Presentation(s) P4 - Poster Session 4 (8:00 AM-9:00 AM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 9-019

Objective This research project seeks to identify the social determinants of health (SDOH) faced by Myasthenia Gravis (MG) patients who receive care locally either at a university academic center or a county hospital-affiliated clinic, the latter of which is part of a safety net hospital system for uninsured and underinsured individuals.

Background

The data on SDOH faced by MG patients is limited. More information is needed for health care providers to better address the needs of their patients.

Design/Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review of MG patients and collected data on demographics, home address, employment status, insurance coverage, comorbidities, health behaviors, emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, most recent MG-ADL score, and clinic no-shows.

Home address was used to determine neighborhood disadvantage using the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) which is a validated tool reflecting 17 different domains of SDOH including education level, income, housing, and employment.

Results Included in this study, are a group of 39 patients seen at the county-affiliated hospital (group A) and 330 seen at the university academic center (group B). Group A had a higher percentage of Hispanic/Latino patients (69.2% vs 39.7%) and a higher proportion of Spanish speakers (25.6% vs 2.1%). Group A also had higher unemployment rates (35.9% vs 7.0%) and disability (17.9% vs 3.6%). Group A had lower use of private insurance (15.4% vs 63.3%) and greater usage of an income-based county-sponsored financial assistance program (23.1% vs 0.3%). More than half of Group A had homes in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods (ADI decile 9 and 10). Finally, Group A had higher rates of clinic no-shows, ED visits and hospitalizations.

Conclusions The two groups varied in demographics, employment, insurance coverage, and neighborhood disadvantage, and had different rates of clinic no-shows, ED visits and hospitalizations. More research is needed to better understand and address these disparities.

Authors/Disclosures
Veronica M. Gaspar, MD (UT Health San Antonio) PRESENTER	Dr. Gaspar has nothing to disclose.
Ratna K. Bhavaraju-Sanka, MD, FAAN (UT Health Science Center @ San Antonio)	Dr. Bhavaraju-Sanka has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Argenx. Dr. Bhavaraju-Sanka has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Amgen.

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