To describe the population of children in foster care who have heart disease and to study the impact of foster care status on acute hospital resource utilization and outcomes.
Approach:
Key Findings:
Children and youth in foster care with heart disease had greater medical complexity.
They were more likely to experience socioeconomic disadvantage.
Hospital length of stay was 22% longer for children in foster care compared to those not in foster care.
In-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission rates did not differ between the two groups.
Interpretation:
Foster care status is an important social determinant of health in pediatric cardiology, indicating a need for targeted care coordination and support.
Limitations:
Foster care status may be undercaptured due to reliance on ICD-10 codes.
The study does not include adjudicated child welfare or longitudinal custody data.
Conclusion:
Recognizing foster care as a social determinant of health is essential for understanding the challenges faced by pediatric populations with heart disease.
An aortic dissection occurs when a tear develops in the inner layer of the aorta, the body’s largest artery. Blood can force its way between layers of the vessel wall, compromising circulation to vital organs or causing catastrophic internal bleeding.
