Association between state ICU bed utilization and income-based equality rankings during the 2020 COVID-19 surge
Location
E4118
Document Type
Poster
Start Date
30-11-2023 3:50 PM
End Date
30-11-2023 4:30 PM
Description
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has strained healthcare systems in the United States, particularly hospital and ICU bed availability. We investigated the impact of income-based equality rankings on ICU bed utilization during the 2020 winter surge, hypothesizing the utilization of ICU beds is associated with the rankings of income-based equality among states. We conducted a cross-sectional study comparing different population-adjusted metrics of hospital bed and COVID-19 infection among three income-based equality state groups (upper-, middle-, and lower-rank). State-aggregated data of COVID-19 hospital cases was collected on November 29, 2020, and was further adjusted to the 2019 population data from the Census Bureau. The fifty states were grouped according to the income-based equality ranking. Mean values of the population-adjusted metrics of hospital bed and COVID-19 infection were compared among the groups with one-way ANOVA, followed by pairwise comparisons using the Tukey HSD procedure for multiple comparison adjustment. Log transformation was applied to the percent-based utilization data for better normal approximation. Low-rank states exhibited higher ICU bed utilization (9.4% increase, p=0.022) and staff shortage (12.8% increase, p=0.0013) compared to middle-rank states. Additionally, low-rank states had elevated COVID-19 inpatient bed utilization (16.4%) compared to upper- (10.5%, p=0.039) and middle-rank (11.9%, p=0.0064) states. Upper- and middle-rank states showed lower percentages of inpatients with COVID-19 infection (p=0.019, p=0.036). Our findings indicate states with higher income-based equality rankings performed significantly better regarding ICU bed utilization and staff shortages during the 2020 winter surge, emphasizing the need to address income-based disparities for improved healthcare delivery and emergency preparedness.
Recommended Citation
Teel, Austin J.; Givens, Nathan T.; Sharma, Tushar D.; Kirchberg, Tanner J.; Jie, Chunfa; and Wilson, Wayne, "Association between state ICU bed utilization and income-based equality rankings during the 2020 COVID-19 surge" (2023). DMU Research Symposium. 82.
https://digitalcommons.dmu.edu/researchsymposium/2023rs/2023abstracts/82
Association between state ICU bed utilization and income-based equality rankings during the 2020 COVID-19 surge
E4118
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has strained healthcare systems in the United States, particularly hospital and ICU bed availability. We investigated the impact of income-based equality rankings on ICU bed utilization during the 2020 winter surge, hypothesizing the utilization of ICU beds is associated with the rankings of income-based equality among states. We conducted a cross-sectional study comparing different population-adjusted metrics of hospital bed and COVID-19 infection among three income-based equality state groups (upper-, middle-, and lower-rank). State-aggregated data of COVID-19 hospital cases was collected on November 29, 2020, and was further adjusted to the 2019 population data from the Census Bureau. The fifty states were grouped according to the income-based equality ranking. Mean values of the population-adjusted metrics of hospital bed and COVID-19 infection were compared among the groups with one-way ANOVA, followed by pairwise comparisons using the Tukey HSD procedure for multiple comparison adjustment. Log transformation was applied to the percent-based utilization data for better normal approximation. Low-rank states exhibited higher ICU bed utilization (9.4% increase, p=0.022) and staff shortage (12.8% increase, p=0.0013) compared to middle-rank states. Additionally, low-rank states had elevated COVID-19 inpatient bed utilization (16.4%) compared to upper- (10.5%, p=0.039) and middle-rank (11.9%, p=0.0064) states. Upper- and middle-rank states showed lower percentages of inpatients with COVID-19 infection (p=0.019, p=0.036). Our findings indicate states with higher income-based equality rankings performed significantly better regarding ICU bed utilization and staff shortages during the 2020 winter surge, emphasizing the need to address income-based disparities for improved healthcare delivery and emergency preparedness.
