U.S. Heart Failure Deaths Linked to Socioeconomic Status

Heart failure is a medical condition that results when the heart muscle is not strong enough to effectively circulate blood. A variety of treatments exist to address this disease, yet it continues to carry a poor prognosis.

A new study from University Hospitals shows that a person’s address can help predict their chance of mortality from heart disease. The study found that the variability in heart failure mortality in the United States is at least partially explained by measures of wealth and socioeconomic status. In the United States, counties with high rates of poverty and other measures of social deprivation also have higher rates of death from heart failure.

Socioeconomic status may play an important role in heart failure because access to expensive medications and other therapies can be more available in affluent communities. Furthermore, areas with higher poverty levels may have reduced access to quality healthcare in general.

Importance of Socioeconomic Factors

The study analyzed 1,254,991 heart failure deaths across 3,048 counties between 1999 and 2018. The investigators used multiple indicators of employment, poverty, income, housing and education to determine a person’s level of socioeconomic deprivation.

This study highlights the importance of addressing socioeconomic factors to improve heart failure outcomes nationally. 

“Analysis of trends in heart failure mortality shows that these disparities have persisted throughout the last two decades” says Graham Bevan, MD, a resident physician at University Hospitals and lead author of the study.

“Living in a particular county should not mean you’re more likely to die from heart failure,” says Sadeer G. Al-Kindi, MD, cardiologist with UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute. “University Hospitals has a history of addressing healthcare disparities in underserved communities and armed with the information from this study, we can thoughtfully create solutions to better serve these populations.”

The study, Socioeconomic Deprivation and Heart Failure Mortality in the United States, was published online in Journal of Cardiac Failure.

Related Links

University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute is dedicated to offering more options for advanced cardiovascular care close to home. More than 1,700 heart and vascular experts, across 26 locations, provide local access to life-saving therapies. Learn more about heart and vascular services at University Hospitals.

Learn more about heart failure care management at home, warning signs that should not be ignored, and how to get help for any health concerns by watching the UH Health Talk, "Managing Heart Failure During COVID-19." This virtual seminar includes a presentation by physicians who are experts in their field, followed by a Q&A session.