Social Determinants of Health in Early Otologic and Audiologic Evaluation in an Interdisciplinary Cleft-Craniofacial Clinic.

OBJECTIVE

Investigate associations between socioeconomic indicators of healthcare access with family compliance with cleft-related otologic and audiologic care within an interdisciplinary model.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

SUBJECTS AND

SETTING

Children born 2005-2015 who presented to the Cleft-Craniofacial Clinic (CCC) at a quaternary care children's hospital.

INTERVENTIONS: Associations between main outcome measures and Area Deprivation Index (ADI), median household income for zip code, distance from hospital, and insurance status were evaluated.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cleft types, ages at presentation to outpatient clinic (cleft, otolaryngology, and audiology), and ages at procedures (first tympanostomy tube insertion (TTI), lip repair, and palatoplasty) were measured.

RESULTS

Most patients were male (147/230, 64%) with cleft lip and palate (157/230, 68%). Median age at first cleft, otolaryngology, and audiology visits were 7 days, 86 days, and 5.9 months, respectively. Private insurance predicted lower no-show rates (p = .04). Age at first CCC visit was younger for patients with private insurance (p = .04) and older for those who lived further from the hospital (p = .002). Age at lip repair was positively correlated with national ADI (p = .03). However, no socioeconomic status (SES) proxy or proximity to hospital was associated with delays in first otolaryngology or audiology examination or TTI.

CONCLUSION

Once children become established within an interdisciplinary CCC, SES appears to bear little influence on cleft-related otologic and audiologic care. Future efforts should aim to elucidate which aspects of the interdisciplinary model maximize multisystem cleft care coordination and increase access for higher risk populations.