Exploration of health inequalities in patients treated with home non-invasive ventilation - Associations with respiratory healthcare burden.

BackgroundHealth inequalities affect many respiratory diseases. However, little is known about the extent or impact amongst patients treated with home non-invasive ventilation (NIV). This study explored health inequalities faced by these patients and associations with respiratory healthcare burden.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients actively receiving home-NIV treatment. Data on patient demographics, hospital healthcare burden and NIV adherence was collected between 4 October 2021 to 4 October 2023, and their relationships were evaluated.Results187 patients met the inclusion criteria. Total hospital bed days was higher in females than in males, (11.7 ± 27.0 days vs 5.2 ± 12.5 days, p = 0.039), and increasing age was positively associated with higher number of respiratory-related hospital admissions (r = 0.146, p = 0.048). There was a weak correlation between deprivation rank and number of NIV care appointments missed (r = -0.163, p = 0.031). A higher BMI (>40 kg/m2) was associated with lower daily home-NIV use (68.7% ± 4.9% vs 83.0% ± 3.1% nights NIV used, p = 0.012).ConclusionPatients with higher BMI had lower NIV adherence, females required more hospital bed days, older patients had more hospital admissions, and more deprived patients missed more hospital appointments.