Background: Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) presents a significant health burden, yet the influence of social determinants of health on outcomes remains unclear. This study examines the impact of social determinants of health on outcomes of patients with SAH.
Methods and results: We conducted a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from the GWTG (Get With The Guidelines)-Stroke registry, including patients with SAH across the United States from 2012 to 2021. The role of the Social Deprivation Index (SDI) and adjusted gross income, stratified into tertiles, were assessed. Outcomes included in-hospital death, length of stay, and discharge disposition (good: home/rehabilitation; poor: long-term facility/hospice/death). Covariates included demographics, medical history, vascular risk factors, and SAH severity. Multivariable regressions were used to estimate associations, presenting odds ratios (ORs) and relative risks. Our study comprised 108 090 patients with nontraumatic SAH (mean age, 59.76 years; 61.3% women). The average length of stay was 12.04 days, 55.6% had good discharge disposition, and the overall mortality rate was 15.5%. Analyses showed that a high Social Deprivation Index was associated with reduced odds of a good discharge (unadjusted OR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.87-0.92]; adjusted OR, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.82-0.92]), while higher adjusted gross income correlated with decreased death (unadjusted OR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.90-0.97]; adjusted OR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.83-0.96]). A high Social Deprivation Index was significantly associated with longer length of stay (unadjusted relative risk, 1.06 [95% CI, 1.07-1.26]; adjusted relative risk, 1.03 [95% CI, 1.01-1.13]).
Conclusions: Social determinants of health shape outcomes for patients with SAH, with a clear gradient of impact across socioeconomic levels.
Keywords: adjusted gross income; health disparities; social deprivation index; social determinants of health; subarachnoid hemorrhage.