Neighborhood-level disadvantages increase risk for invasive pneumococcal disease.

Area of Science:

• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Social Determinants of Health

Background:

• Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) infection, particularly invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), remains a global health concern despite vaccination efforts.
• While individual risk factors for IPD are known, the impact of neighborhood-level socioeconomic factors has not been thoroughly investigated.
• This study focuses on assessing the association between neighborhood disadvantages and the risk of IPD in an urban setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between area-level socioeconomic factors, specifically neighborhood deprivation, and the risk of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD).
• To identify whether socioeconomic disadvantages at the community level contribute to the incidence of IPD.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study identified patients hospitalized with culture-confirmed Spn infection between 2010 and 2019.
• Patient data, including demographics and clinical information, were extracted from electronic health records.
• Residential addresses were geocoded and linked to the 2015 Area Deprivation Index (ADI) to quantify neighborhood disadvantage. Logistic regression was employed to analyze the association between ADI and IPD risk, controlling for individual factors.

Main Results:

• Out of 268 hospitalized patients with Spn infection, 92 (34.3%) had IPD.
• Higher neighborhood deprivation (ADI in the 79-100 range) was significantly associated with an increased risk of developing IPD.
• This association was particularly pronounced in younger patients (under 65 years old), even after adjusting for individual demographic and clinical factors (p = 0.007).

Conclusions:

• Area Deprivation Index is identified as a significant risk factor for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in younger adults.
• Community-level socioeconomic factors must be integrated into public health strategies for IPD prevention.
• Targeted interventions, such as enhancing vaccine uptake in high-risk populations residing in deprived areas, are crucial to mitigate the overall burden of IPD.