Study Finds Social Factors Linked to Hospital Readmissions, Mortality

Researchers have determined a range of social factors are associated with increased risk of hospital readmissions or mortality, according to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

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For the study, researchers mined the OVID, PubMed and PSYCHINFO databases for studies published from 1980 to 2012 on the subject of readmissions. Seventy-two articles were ultimately chosen for conclusion in this study. They found the following key points:

•    Studies often, but inconsistently, cited lower education, low income, and unemployment as linked to higher readmissions for community-acquired pneumonia patients.
•    In addition, low income was associated with higher mortality for community-acquired pneumonia patients.
•    Medicaid coverage, low income and rural living situation, lack of social support, being unmarried and portraying risky behaviors were also associated with higher readmissions for heart failure patients.
•    Similar factors contributed to higher risk of mortality for heart failure patients, in addition to psychiatric comorbidities, lack of home resources and further living distance to hospitals.

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