The association between social determinants of health and patient‐centred outcomes in adults with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Dunbar Sandra B. , Tan Xi , Lautsch Dominik , Maculaitis Martine C. , Ricker Bryan , Nagle Thomas , Clark Luther T. , Hilkert Robert , Brady Joanne E. , Black Heather L. , Spertus John A. 
Published: May 2023

Aims

To explore the associations between social determinants of health and patient‐centred outcomes among adults with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Design

Cross‐sectional online self‐report survey.

Methods

A survey assessing social determinants of health (demographics, socio‐economic position, affordability of care and social support) and patient‐centred outcomes, including the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire‐12 and validated measures of medication adherence, treatment satisfaction, treatment burden and mental health, was completed by 512 adults with chronic heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction between 06 March and 29 June 2020. Multivariable analyses included linear and logistic regression.

Results

Female gender, having a care partner, and being offered financial assistance with medications were associated with worse health status, while perceiving medication as affordable and being married were associated with better health status. Females and having Medicaid, dual Medicaid/Medicare or no medical insurance were associated with a higher likelihood of depression, and non‐white race/ethnicity was associated with less depression. Medication adherence was lower in patients having a care partner and offered financial assistance. Patients being offered financial and medication management assistance were more likely to be overwhelmed by the treatment burden, whereas those having some college education were less so.

Conclusions

Social determinants of health are associated with patients' disease‐specific health status, mental health and treatment satisfaction and burden. These findings underscore the importance of assessing social determinants of health in clinical practice and the need for developing and testing novel strategies to determine whether they improve patients' health.

Impact

The relationship between social determinants of health‐ and patient‐centred outcomes was assessed; affordability of care and social support factors were most strongly associated with outcomes for patients with chronic heart failure and reduced ejection fraction, underscoring the importance of assessing social determinants of health in routine clinical care.

Implications for the profession and/or patient care

Social determinants of health data could potentially inform care delivery for patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction by helping to identify those who require additional support to manage their symptoms, access care and adhere to treatment. Social support and affordability of treatment were associated with most patient‐centred outcomes, suggesting these factors may provide clinicians with an indicator of a patient's level of general well‐being that could be assessed during routine follow‐up care.

Reporting method

This research followed the STROBE checklist for cross‐sectional studies.

Patient or public contribution

Adults who have heart failure with reduced ejection fraction that consented to participate in the study provided the data used for all analyses reported on in the manuscript. Service users, caregivers or members of the public had no involvement in the study.