The study (for purchase) focuses on one county in Ohio were researchers collected data from all pediatric hospitalizations. They paired pediatric patients with a census tract and calculated “bed-days” (a metric calculated by dividing the number of days that children from a community are hospitalized by the total number of children in the community). The bed-day data found pediatric patients from low-income areas were much more likely to be hospitalized. One medical centre's bed-day rates were found to be more than double the county average. That medical centre is now targeting the region for population health improvement efforts and tighter community partnerships with schools, primary care practices, and pharmacies. The researchers call for a "culture of health" at hospitals to address income-related disparity.
NBHC Population Health