News: Housing, transportation instability correlated with emergency department visits, report suggests

Key individual health-related social needs (HSRN) are associated with inpatient and emergency department (ED) visits, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.

The study examined 166,682 Medicaid and Medicare recipients enrolled in the accountable health communities (AHC) program from June 5, 2018, to January 31, 2022.

According to the authors, “five of six HRSNs were associated with higher ED use at baseline, and two HRSNs (housing stability and transportation) were associated with inpatient admissions after adjusting for confounders”; moreover, “[r]esolution of HRSNs was not associated with health care utilization after adjusting for other HRSNs, demographic characteristics, and comorbidities.”

Here are some other key points from the study:

• “Emergency department visits occurred for 26.9% of patients with housing stability needs and 25.6% of those with transportation needs.”
• “After adjustment for other HRSNs, demographic characteristics, and health conditions, only two HRSNs retained an association with an increase in IP admissions: housing stability and transportation.”

Editor’s note: To read the study, click here.