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Area deprivation index association with estimation of preinjury functioning in children with acquired brain injury
Mary U Simons1, Paige Naylor2, Jesse Jenson3
1Psychology, Marquette University, USA.
Insights
Children with acquired brain injury (ABI) living in less deprived areas showed better preinjury functioning and word reading skills. This highlights the impact of social determinants of health on early assessments for pediatric ABI.
Area of Science:
- Neuropsychology
- Pediatric Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Assessing preinjury functioning in children with acquired brain injury (ABI) is crucial for understanding recovery.
- Social determinants of health (SDOH) significantly influence health outcomes, yet their association with preinjury functioning in pediatric ABI is understudied.
- The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) is a tool to measure socioeconomic disadvantage at a community level.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and measures of preinjury functioning in children with ABI.
- To understand how socioeconomic factors, as measured by ADI, relate to cognitive and adaptive abilities before injury.
Main Methods:
- Caregivers of 196 children with ABI completed the Adaptive Behavioral Assessment System-3rd Edition (ABAS-III).
- Word reading abilities were assessed using the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT-4 or WRAT-5) for 188 children with ABI.
- Two linear regression models examined the relationship between ADI and ABAS-III scores, and ADI and WRAT-Word Reading scores.
Main Results:
- The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) showed significant associations with both ABAS-III (adaptive functioning) and WRAT-Word Reading scores.
- Children residing in areas with lower deprivation (less socioeconomic disadvantage) exhibited higher scores on measures of preinjury adaptive functioning and word reading.
- This suggests a protective effect of socioeconomic stability on preinjury cognitive and adaptive abilities in children with ABI.
Conclusions:
- Socioeconomic status, as indicated by ADI, is associated with preinjury functioning in children with ABI.
- These findings underscore the importance of considering SDOH in neuropsychological evaluations for pediatric ABI.
- Understanding these associations can inform clinical interpretation of test results and guide interventions to mitigate the impact of socioeconomic disparities on recovery.
Objectives:
Assessment for children with acquired brain injury (ABI) often includes measures of preinjury functioning; however, there is limited understanding of how social determinants of health (SDOH) are associated with preinjury measures. This study investigated the association of the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) with measures of preinjury functioning.
Methods:
196 caregivers of children with ABI completed the Adaptive Behavioral Assessment System-3rd Edition (ABAS-III), and 188 children with ABI completed the Wide Range Achievement Testing-4th Edition or 5th Edition word reading subtest (WRAT-Word Reading). Two linear regressions were performed: 1) ADI × WRAT-Reading and 2) ADI × ABAS-III.
Results:
The ADI demonstrated significant associations with the ABAS-III and WRAT-Reading scores. Children in lower deprivation areas demonstrated higher preinjury functioning and word reading scores.
Conclusions:
These findings have implications for recovery from brain injury, considerations for incorporating social determinants of health into neuropsychological evaluations, and implications for clinician interpretation of a child's testing.
