Relation of Socioeconomic Status to 1-Year Readmission and Mortality in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Health Economics
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death globally and nationally.
• Socioeconomic status (SES) significantly influences cardiovascular health and patient outcomes.
• Existing research on the SES-CV outcome association presents inconsistent findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between median household income (SES indicator) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) readmission or death.
• To quantify the risk magnitude of low income on nonfatal or fatal AMI events.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a large-scale database from the Myocardial Infarction Data Acquisition System in New Jersey.
• Matched zip code median household income data (US Census Bureau) with AMI readmission and cardiovascular death rates.
• Employed logistic regression models to analyze patient outcomes over a 1-year period.

Main Results:

• Patients in the lowest income group (<$43,000) exhibited significantly higher risks for AMI readmission (aOR 1.1388) and cardiovascular death (OR 1.0479) compared to the highest income group (>$68,000).
• A clear trend showed increased AMI readmission likelihood as household income decreased.
• Statistical significance was observed for both AMI readmission (p=0) and cardiovascular death (p=0.0254).

Conclusions:

• Lower socioeconomic status, indicated by income, is significantly associated with adverse cardiovascular events, specifically AMI readmission and mortality.
• Findings underscore the need for increased healthcare resource allocation to low-income communities.
• Addressing income-related disparities is vital for reducing AMI hospital readmissions and case fatalities.