Socioeconomic Disparities and Influenza Hospitalizations, Tennessee, USA.
We examined population-based surveillance data from the Tennessee Emerging Infections Program to determine whether neighborhood socioeconomic status was associated with influenza hospitalization rates. Hospitalization data collected during October 2007-April 2014 were geocoded (N = 1,743) and linked to neighborhood socioeconomic data. We calculated age-standardized annual incidence rates, relative index of inequality, and concentration curves for socioeconomic variables. Influenza hospitalizations increased with increased percentages of persons who lived in poverty, had female-headed households, lived in crowded households, and lived in population-dense areas. Influenza hospitalizations decreased with increased percentages of persons who were college educated, were employed, and had health insurance. Higher incidence of influenza hospitalization was also associated with lower neighborhood socioeconomic status when data were stratified by race.
Chantel
C
Sloan
Rameela
R
Chandrasekhar
Edward
E
Mitchel
William
W
Schaffner
Mary Lou
ML
Lindegren
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013714:Tennessee / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
Census Bureau; Tennessee; United States; health care disparities; influenza; minority health; spatial analysis