Social and Structural Determinants of Health in Emergency Department Revisits Within 90 Days of Inpatient Orthopedic Surgery: A Scoping Review

This scoping review aims to map how social and structural determinants of health are defined, measured, and incorporated into analyses of emergency department revisits and other unplanned acute care utilization within 90 days following inpatient orthopedic surgery. Despite growing recognition of the influence of social risk factors on postoperative outcomes, there remains limited clarity regarding how these variables are operationalized and analytically integrated in orthopedic outcomes research. Through a comprehensive search strategy across multiple databases, this review will synthesize existing literature to characterize measurement approaches, analytic use, and gaps in the evidence base. Findings will inform future research design and the development of more equitable post-surgical risk assessment and care models.