Socioeconomic Status Doesn’t Affect Hip Arthroscopy Outcomes

Although a patient’s socioeconomic status can affect access to quality health care and treatment outcomes, a new study has found that socioeconomic status doesn’t impact hip arthroplasty outcomes.

In the study, “Equality in Hip Arthroscopy Outcomes Can Be Achieved Regardless of Patient Socioeconomic Status,” the researchers analyzed the effect of patient socioeconomic status on patient-reported outcomes (PROMS) after hip arthroscopy.

The findings were published online on November 5, 2021, in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.

The researchers collected demographic, radiographic and intraoperative data on all patients who underwent hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and labral tear between February 2008 and September 2017 at a single institution.

The patients were divided into 4 cohorts based on the Social Deprivation Index of their zip code. The patients had a minimum 2-year follow-up for the modified Harris Hip Score, Nonarthritic Hip Score, International Hip Outcome Tool—12, and Visual Analog Scale for both pain and satisfaction. The researchers also recorded rates of secondary surgery.

There were 680 hips and 616 patients included in the study. The mean follow-up time for the entire cohort was 30.25 months. Group 1 had the wealthiest patients.

The researchers found no differences in preoperative radiographic measurements, intraoperative findings or rates of concomitant procedures performed. There was no difference in preoperative and postoperative PROMS or in the rates of achieving the MCID [minimal clinically important differences] or PASS [patient acceptable symptom state]. No were any differences in the rate of secondary surgeries reported.

“Regardless of socioeconomic status, patients were able to achieve significant improvements in several PROMS after hip arthroscopy for FAIS and labral tear at the minimum 2-year follow-up. Additionally, patients from all Socioeconomic Status groups achieved clinically meaningful improvement at similar rates,” they wrote.

The study authors included Benjamin R. Saks, M.D., Vivian W. Ouyang, Elijah S. Domb, Andrew E. Jimenez and Benjamin G. Domb, M.D. of the American Hip Institute Research Foundation. David R. Maldonado, M.D., of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Institute in Los Angeles also contributed to the study.