Social determinants of health affect disease severity among preschool children with sickle cell disease

Abstract: Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) face the burden of managing a lifelong chronic illness, increasing vulnerability to social determinants of health (SDoH). However, how SDoH contributes to health disparities is understudied. We hypothesized that preschool children with SCD living...

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Main Authors: Hamda Khan, Guolian Kang, Jerlym S. Porter, Juan Ding, Winfred C. Wang, Jeremie H. Estepp, James G. Gurney, Robert Davis, Jane S. Hankins, Jason R. Hodges
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Blood Advances
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2473952924006049
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author Hamda Khan
Guolian Kang
Jerlym S. Porter
Juan Ding
Winfred C. Wang
Jeremie H. Estepp
James G. Gurney
Robert Davis
Jane S. Hankins
Jason R. Hodges
author_facet Hamda Khan
Guolian Kang
Jerlym S. Porter
Juan Ding
Winfred C. Wang
Jeremie H. Estepp
James G. Gurney
Robert Davis
Jane S. Hankins
Jason R. Hodges
author_sort Hamda Khan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract: Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) face the burden of managing a lifelong chronic illness, increasing vulnerability to social determinants of health (SDoH). However, how SDoH contributes to health disparities is understudied. We hypothesized that preschool children with SCD living in poor neighborhoods with higher socio-economic distress would experience increased acute care utilization (ACU; described as emergency department visits plus hospitalizations) despite disease-modifying therapy. Participants' home addresses (aged 0-6 years) were mapped using census tract environmental data from the US Department of Agriculture Food Access Research Atlas. In multivariable analyses controlled for sickle genotype and disease-modifying therapies (hydroxyurea and chronic transfusion), SDoH indicators, that is, limited access to food, lack of vehicle, low income, and inadequate education, were associated with higher ACU. Living in households with children >1 mile from a supermarket was associated with more hospitalizations (odds ratio [OR], 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.85) and ACU (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.06-1.80) among children with SCD (aged <6 years). In households with at least 1 bachelor's degree, children with SCD experienced less ACU (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.50-0.93) and hospitalizations (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.49-0.92). Preschool children with SCD with limited access to food and transportation are at a higher risk of acute complications despite receiving free evidence-based therapy and social support. The family education level may have a protective effect. Although SDoH in crowded households and health care maintenance visits were not a focus of this study, future research should consider these factors. Understanding the SCD and SDoH association is crucial for directing resources to improve affected children's health.
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spelling doaj-art-687adba7e26f4314809f02d1112f28c72024-12-04T05:13:26ZengElsevierBlood Advances2473-95292024-12-0182360886096Social determinants of health affect disease severity among preschool children with sickle cell diseaseHamda Khan0Guolian Kang1Jerlym S. Porter2Juan Ding3Winfred C. Wang4Jeremie H. Estepp5James G. Gurney6Robert Davis7Jane S. Hankins8Jason R. Hodges9Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TNDepartment of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TNDepartment of Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TNDepartment of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN; Department of Information and Computing Science, College of Sciences, Hohai University, Nanjing, ChinaDepartment of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TNDepartment of Global Pediatric Medicine, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TNSchool of Public Health, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TNCenter for Bioinformatics, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TNDepartment of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN; Department of Global Pediatric Medicine, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TNDepartment of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN; Correspondence: Jason R. Hodges, Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl, Memphis, TN 38105;Abstract: Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) face the burden of managing a lifelong chronic illness, increasing vulnerability to social determinants of health (SDoH). However, how SDoH contributes to health disparities is understudied. We hypothesized that preschool children with SCD living in poor neighborhoods with higher socio-economic distress would experience increased acute care utilization (ACU; described as emergency department visits plus hospitalizations) despite disease-modifying therapy. Participants' home addresses (aged 0-6 years) were mapped using census tract environmental data from the US Department of Agriculture Food Access Research Atlas. In multivariable analyses controlled for sickle genotype and disease-modifying therapies (hydroxyurea and chronic transfusion), SDoH indicators, that is, limited access to food, lack of vehicle, low income, and inadequate education, were associated with higher ACU. Living in households with children >1 mile from a supermarket was associated with more hospitalizations (odds ratio [OR], 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.85) and ACU (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.06-1.80) among children with SCD (aged <6 years). In households with at least 1 bachelor's degree, children with SCD experienced less ACU (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.50-0.93) and hospitalizations (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.49-0.92). Preschool children with SCD with limited access to food and transportation are at a higher risk of acute complications despite receiving free evidence-based therapy and social support. The family education level may have a protective effect. Although SDoH in crowded households and health care maintenance visits were not a focus of this study, future research should consider these factors. Understanding the SCD and SDoH association is crucial for directing resources to improve affected children's health.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2473952924006049
spellingShingle Hamda Khan
Guolian Kang
Jerlym S. Porter
Juan Ding
Winfred C. Wang
Jeremie H. Estepp
James G. Gurney
Robert Davis
Jane S. Hankins
Jason R. Hodges
Social determinants of health affect disease severity among preschool children with sickle cell disease
Blood Advances
title Social determinants of health affect disease severity among preschool children with sickle cell disease
title_full Social determinants of health affect disease severity among preschool children with sickle cell disease
title_fullStr Social determinants of health affect disease severity among preschool children with sickle cell disease
title_full_unstemmed Social determinants of health affect disease severity among preschool children with sickle cell disease
title_short Social determinants of health affect disease severity among preschool children with sickle cell disease
title_sort social determinants of health affect disease severity among preschool children with sickle cell disease
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2473952924006049
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