Dataset Information

Barriers to Healthcare Access and Long-Term Survival After an Acute Coronary Syndrome.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Barriers to healthcare are common in the USA and may result in worse outcomes among hospital survivors of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Objective

To examine the relationship between barriers to healthcare and 2-year mortality after hospital discharge for an ACS.

Design

Longitudinal study.

Setting

Survivors of an ACS hospitalization were recruited from 6 medical centers in central Massachusetts and Georgia in 2011-2013.

Patients

Study participants with a confirmed ACS reported whether they had a financial-related healthcare barrier, no usual source of care, or a transportation-related healthcare barrier around the time of hospital admission.

Interventions

None.

Measurements

Cox regression analyses calculated adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for 2-year all-cause mortality for the three healthcare barriers while controlling for several demographic, clinical, and psychosocial characteristics.

Results

The mean age of study participants (n = 2008) was 62 years, 33% were women, and 77% were non-Hispanic white. One third of patients reported a financial barrier, 17% lacked a usual source of care, and 12% had a transportation barrier. Five percent (n = 100) died within 2 years after hospital discharge. Compared to patients without these barriers, those lacking a usual source of care and with barriers to transportation experienced significantly higher mortality (aHRs 1.40, 95% CI 1.30 to 1.51 and 1.46, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.89, respectively). Financial barriers were not associated with all-cause mortality (aHR 0.79, 95% CI 0.60 to 1.06).

Limitations

Observational study with other unmeasured potentially confounding prognostic factors.

Conclusions

Absence of an established usual source of care and inconsistent transportation availability were associated with a higher risk for dying after an ACS. Patients with these barriers to follow-up care may benefit from more intensive follow-up and support.

SUBMITTER: Erskine NA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6108984 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Prior studies of healthy populations have found religious practices to be associated with survival. However, no contemporary studies have examined whether religiosity influences survival among patients discharged from the hospital after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The present study examined the relationship between religious practices and 2-year all-cause mortality among hospital survivors of an ACS. METHODS:Patients hospitalized for an ACS were recruited from 6 medical centers in Massachusetts and Georgia between 2011 and 2013. Study participants self-reported three items assessing religiosity: strength/comfort from religion, petition prayers for health, and awareness of intercessory prayers by others. All cause-mortality within 2-years of hospital discharge was ascertained by review of medical records at participating study hospitals and from death certificates. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the multivariable adjusted risk of 2-year all-cause mortality. RESULTS:Participants (n = 2,068) were on average 61 years old, 34% were women, and 81% were non-Hispanic White. Approximately 85% derived strength/comfort from religion, 61% prayed for their health, and 89% were aware of intercessions. Overall, 6% died within 2 years post-discharge. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables (age, sex, and race/ethnicity), petition prayers were associated with an increased risk of 2-year all-cause mortality (HR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.01-2.66). With further adjustment for several clinical and psychosocial measures, this association was no longer statistically significant. Strength and comfort from religion and intercessory prayers were not significantly associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS:Most ACS survivors acknowledge deriving strength and comfort from religion, praying for their health, and intercessions made by others for their health. Although the reported religious practices were not associated with post-discharge survival after multivariable adjustment, acknowledging that patients utilize their religious beliefs and practices as strategies to improve their health would ensure a more holistic approach to patient management and promote cultural competence in healthcare.

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