Social Capital and Pediatric Tracheostomy Outcomes
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: ABSTRACT Objective To determine pediatric tracheostomy outcomes by social capital as measured through economic connectedness (EC). Methods A retrospective cohort of patients (< 18 years) who underwent tracheostomy at a tertiary pediatric hospital between 2009 and 2020 was divided into high and low socioeconomic status (SES) groups based on their neighborhood‐level EC. This metric of social capital determines the degree to which an individual is connected to families of higher SES based on zip code. Regression analysis determined associations between EC and adverse outcomes, decannulation, and mortality. Results A total of 527 patients were included, with 79 (15%) having higher EC and 448 (85%) having lower EC. The groups had similar medical complexity and comorbidities, and EC was found to correlate with other metrics of SES including poverty rate and area deprivation index (ADI) by zip code (p < 0.001). Patients with low EC were more likely to be discharged to an outside facility than high EC patients (9.3% vs. 3.8%, p = 0.04). Outcome analysis revealed no significant differences in decannulation (22% vs. 32%, p = 0.07), mortality (22% vs. 21%, p = 0.88), or readmission rate (19% vs. 19%, p = 0.95). Conclusions EC does not correlate with adverse outcomes, mortality, or decannulation for pediatric tracheostomy patients. These findings suggest that EC may not be the primary component of social capital that influences perioperative challenges and long‐term outcomes for pediatric tracheostomies in this study population.
DOI: 10.1002/lio2.70168
Authors: Alex Najjar, Jenny Kim, Stephen Chorney, Yann‐Fuu Kou, Cynthia Wang, Romaine F. Johnson
Institution: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,900
OpenAlex ID: W4410714812