Associations between socioeconomic status and open globe injury

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Trauma Surgery

Background:

• Socioeconomic status (SES) influences health outcomes, but its association with open globe injury (OGI) characteristics requires further investigation.
• The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and Distressed Communities Index (DCI) provide valuable metrics for assessing community-level SES.
• Understanding these associations can inform targeted injury prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between SES, measured by SVI and DCI, and the characteristics of open globe injuries (OGI).
• To identify specific OGI mechanisms associated with lower SES.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 899 patients treated for OGI at a Level I trauma center (May 2009-March 2021).
• SES was assessed using SVI and DCI based on patient zip codes.
• Patients were categorized by injury mechanism (accidental vs. non-accidental, including firearm-associated ocular injuries and domestic violence/assault).

Main Results:

• Younger age correlated with higher DCI and lower Ocular Trauma Score (OTS).
• Non-accidental trauma patients exhibited lower OTS and higher SVI/DCI scores compared to accidental trauma.
• Firearm-associated ocular injuries (FAOIs) and domestic violence/assault were linked to higher SVI/DCI and worse OTS, while falls and sports injuries correlated with lower DCI.

Conclusions:

• Lower SES, indicated by SVI and DCI, is associated with younger age, FAOIs, and non-accidental OGI, including domestic violence/assault.
• SES may be a significant risk factor for various OGI mechanisms.
• These findings underscore the need for SES considerations in OGI prevention and management.