Studies from University of South Carolina Describe New Findings in Chronic Disease (Comparison of small-area deprivation measures as predictors of…

Studies from University of South Carolina Describe New Findings in Chronic Disease (Comparison of small-area deprivation measures as predictors of chronic disease burden in a low-income population)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Managed Care Weekly Digest -- Fresh data on Disease Attributes are presented in a new report. According to news reporting out of Columbia, South Carolina, by NewsRx editors, research stated, "Measures of small-area deprivation may be valuable in geographically targeting limited resources to prevent, diagnose, and effectively manage chronic conditions in vulnerable populations. We developed a census-based small-area socioeconomic deprivation index specifically to predict chronic disease burden among publically insured Medicaid recipients in South Carolina, a relatively poor state in the southern United States."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the University of South Carolina, "We compared the predictive ability of the new index with that of four other small-area deprivation indicators. To derive the ZIP Code Tabulation Area-Level Palmetto Small-Area Deprivation Index (Palmetto SADI), we evaluated ten census variables across five socioeconomic deprivation domains, identifying the combination of census indicators most highly correlated with a set of five chronic disease conditions among South Carolina Medicaid enrollees. In separate validation studies, we used both logistic and spatial regression methods to assess the ability of Palmetto SADI to predict chronic disease burden among state Medicaid recipients relative to four alternative small-area socioeconomic deprivation measures: the Townsend index of material deprivation; a single-variable poverty indicator; and two small-area designations of health care resource deprivation, Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area and Medically Underserved Area/Medically Underserved Population. Palmetto SADI was the best predictor of chronic disease burden (presence of at least one condition and presence of two or more conditions) among state Medicaid recipients compared to all alternative deprivation measures tested."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "A low-cost, regionally optimized socioeconomic deprivation index, Palmetto SADI can be used to identify areas in South Carolina at high risk for chronic disease burden among Medicaid recipients and other low-income Medicaid-eligible populations for targeted prevention, screening, diagnosis, disease self-management, and care coordination activities."

For more information on this research see: Comparison of small-area deprivation measures as predictors of chronic disease burden in a low-income population. International Journal for Equity in Health, 2016;15():1-12. International Journal for Equity in Health can be contacted at: Biomed Central Ltd, 236 Grays Inn Rd, Floor 6, London WC1X 8HL, England. (BioMed Central - www.biomedcentral.com/; International Journal for Equity in Health - www.equityhealthj.com)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting A. Lopez-De Fede, University of South Carolina, Dept. of Epidemiol & Biostat, Arnold Sch Public Hlth, 915 Greene StRoom 445, Columbia, SC 29208, United States. Additional authors for this research include J.E. Stewart, J.W. Hardin and K. Mayfield-Smith (see also Disease Attributes).

Keywords for this news article include: Columbia, South Carolina, United States, North and Central America, Pathologic Processes, Risk and Prevention, Disease Attributes, Chronic Disease, Health Policy, Medicaid, University of South Carolina.

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