Social determinants of health and hospitalization risk in heart failure: A Retrospective analysis

Background Heart failure affects over 6.5 million Americans and accounts for substantial healthcare utilization, with social determinants of health (SDOH) increasingly recognized as critical factors influencing patient outcomes. The present study aims to examine the relationships among specific SDOH (food insecurity risk, financial resource strain, and medical transportation needs) with subsequent hospitalization risk among patients with heart failure. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed electronic health record data from the Arkansas Clinical Data Repository for 2494 patients with heart failure hospitalized between January 2014 and December 2023 at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Quantile regression on the median was used to analyze the data. Results Study population descriptive results demonstrated moderate hospitalization risk (average score 40.3). The population was predominantly older adults (mean age ∼ 65), female (55.8%), non-Hispanic (98.3%) and White (54.3%). In fully adjusted models, all three social determinants remained significant predictors of increased subsequent hospitalization risk: food insecurity was associated with a 9.37-point increase (95% CI: 4.83–13.90, p < 0.01), high financial resource strain with a 13.13-point increase (95% CI: 8.50–17.76, p < 0.01), and medical transportation needs with a 13.23-point increase (95% CI: 7.55–18.89, p < 0.01). Conclusions Food insecurity risk, financial resource strain, and medical transportation needs are associated with increased future hospitalization risk among patients with heart failure. These findings support the integration of social determinant screening into clinical risk stratification and the development of targeted interventions addressing these modifiable social factors to potentially reduce healthcare utilization and improve outcomes for vulnerable populations with heart failure.