Specialized care access linked to survival rates of adults with congenital heart disease - Children's National

People with congenital heart disease (CHD) had higher rates of death and disability if they lived in a state with lower household incomes and more uninsured residents, according to a data analysis led by researchers at Children's National and published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (AHA).

"Understanding how social and economic factors can influence survival and outcomes is essential," senior author Anitha John, MD, PhD, medical director of the Washington Adult Congenital Heart Program at Children's National, said in an AHA press release about the study. "Long-term outcomes and quality of life depend heavily on access to specialized, lifelong care for people with congenital heart disease."

What it means

The researchers analyzed the Global Burden of Disease Study and U.S. Census data from 1990-2021 and found higher rates of death and disability for people with CHD if they lived in states that had lower incomes and fewer insured people. The data set included records for more than 300,000 people across the United States.

The authors hypothesize that these differences may be because people in states with higher income levels and rates of health insurance are more likely to have easier access to specialized care and treatment from adult CHD cardiologists.

As recommended by the evidence-based AHA/American College of Cardiology guidelines, adults with CHD require lifelong, regular access to specialized cardiac care to stay healthy.

Why it matters

"Seeing how these factors affect patients long term allows us to better identify people at highest risk for complications," Dr. John added. "Then we can work toward improving access and reducing care gaps for people who have congenital heart disease."

The authors note that the research re-emphasizes the importance of expanding access to expert care for CHD, particularly in under-resourced regions of the United States. Doing so could be a major factor in improving survival and quality of life for adult CHD patients.