Leila Kassem
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Sarah Fox
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Pediatric Surgery / Medicine
Program:
Authors: Leila Kassem, Alexandros Cordero, Darrell Tubbs, Irene Carter, Sarah Fox, Sarah King, Samir Gadepalli
Session: Session 2: 10:00 am – 10:50 am
Poster: 25
Abstract
Despite previous research demonstrating that there are racial disparities in the outcomes of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), there is a gap that exists in the literature regarding the impact of patients’ social determinants of health (SDoH) on surgical outcomes for children with IBD. SDoH encompasses non-medical factors such as neighborhood and built environment, education, and economic stability. This study aims to determine whether race is linked to inequities in surgical outcomes among children with IBD, and if so, the extent to which these inequities can be explained by the patients’ SDoH, including insurance status and neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation. This ongoing retrospective cohort study is using MiChart medical records to recover the data of 50 pediatric IBD patients at the University of Michigan Hospital over the last ten years, with a focus on demographic information, 30-day postoperative complications, and the patient’s time lived with setons, which are sutures used to treat anal fistulas. We are currently in the data collection process, but we anticipate that our analysis will reveal that rates of postoperative complications and time lived with setons will be higher for non-white children. While race will be linked to differences in outcomes, we do not believe that it is an inherent driver of the observed disparities, but rather that non-white groups face disadvantages in neighborhood stability and insurance status as a result of systemic and structural racism. We are looking to inform the surgical community on the inequities in pediatric IBD so as to improve surgical outcomes for children with IBD and their families who come from a disadvantaged background. With a thorough understanding of the impact of SDoH on surgical outcomes, healthcare professionals can better implement measures to address the disparities and provide all children with IBD the surgical care that they need.
