Health disparity in surgical outcomes is driven by social vulnerability and inequitable support

A team from Ohio State University (OSU; OH, USA) have used a novel risk stratification tool – the social vulnerability index – to show that older patients are more likely to experience complications and re-admission following cancer surgery if they live in communities with high external pressures and economic hardship. Older patients currently make up 37% of all inpatient operations and 33% of outpatient procedures in the USA, with surgical complications and prolonged hospitalization being the most direct force behind poor outcomes. However, a growing understanding of how increased social challenges can impact health conditions is demonstrating that different communities...