Determining the impact of the social determinants of health on pediatric mild traumatic brain injury completion
Embargo Date
2026-10-01
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
The impact of the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) on healthcare outcomes within vulnerable populations, particularly pediatric patients, is a well-established phenomenon. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is not an exception. However, it is not clear which of them are more influential on the current management for Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) in these populations. This study addresses this gap by exploring how specific SDOH factors influence the treatment of TBIs in pediatric patients at Boston Medical Center, a safety net hospital. Our hypothesis suggests that the presence of some of the social determinants of health negatively affects the treatment of traumatic brain injuries in children and youth. Through a Chi-squared test of independence conducted on 247 patients, analyzing variables such as insurance status, primary language, race & ethnicity, and zip code, we demonstrated insurance status showed statistically significant evidence of a relationship to the completion of treatment in pediatric patients.
Description
2024