Socioeconomic Disparities in Concussion Presentation

Importance: The lack of a comprehensive population-level study evaluating the association of marginalization markers with concussion presentation limits opportunities for health care system improvements. Objective: To describe the association of socioeconomic measures of disparity with location of concussion presentation and follow-up rates. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study used linked administrative databases to assess patients with International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Canada (ICD-10-CA) concussion diagnosis codes at emergency department (ED) or outpatient clinics in Ontario, Canada, from April 1, 2010, to March 31, 2023. Data analysis was performed from March 1, 2025, to February 8, 2026. Exposures: Patient-level exposures were age, sex, immigrant status, presence of family physician, and rurality. Neighborhood-level exposures were income quintile, Ontario Marginalization (ON-Marg) Material Resource Index (access to basic material needs, such as percentage of unemployment), Household and Dwelling Index (accommodation type, such as percentage living alone), and Racialized and Newcomer Populations Index (such as percentage of recent immigrants or those who identify as a visible minority group) within 4 different age groups (