Socioeconomic Position and Risk of Disease Progression and Death in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes: A Danish Nation-Wide Population-Based Cohort Study

Background: Five-year overall survival for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is around 30%. Adverse prognostic factors include advancing age, higher blast cell percentage, poor risk cytogenetics, two or more cytopenias, high burden of comorbidity, and transfusion-dependency. The impact of socioeconomic position on clinical outcomes in MDS patients is however unclear. In this nationwide population-based cohort-study, we therefore examined the associations between the individual-level socioeconomic markers education level, cohabitation status, and income, and the risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and all-cause mortality among MDS patients. Methods: Using the Danish Myelodysplastic Syndromes Database, we identified all patients with incident MDS diagnosed between January 1st 2010 and December 31th 2018. The database holds valid and detailed patient- and disease-characteristics on all Danish MDS patients diagnosed since 2010. We linked the study-population with individual-level information on education, cohabitation status, income, comorbidity, progression to AML, and vital status retrieved from high-quality Danish population-based registries. We computed absolute risks of progression to AML and all-cause mortality using the cumulative incidence (risk) function accounting for death as competing risk when AML was the outcome. Also, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year relative risks (RRs) of progression to AML and death were computed using the pseudovalue approach. All results were given crude and adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic position (SEP), comorbidity and subtype of MDS according to the "International Prognostic Scoring System" (IPSS) and with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The final cohort comprised 2233 MDS patients (median age 75 years, 63% males). Median follow-up time was 1.7 years. The 1-year risks of progression to AML was similar across education levels (long education (>13 years): 5%, medium education (9-12 years): 6%, short education (<9 years): 6%. In adjusted models, there were no associations between education, income or cohabitation status and risk of progression to AML (Table 1). Still, patients with a short education had higher 1-year all-cause mortality (33%) compared to those with medium (22%) and longer education (21%) (Figure 1). In adjusted models the risk of death one year from diagnosis was higher in patients with short vs. longer education [RR=1.26 (95% CI: 1.03-1.55)], in patients with lower vs. higher income [RR=1.43 (95% CI: 1.17-1.75)], and among patients who were living alone compared to those who lived with someone [RR=1.19 (1.02-1.39)]. The increased risk of death among patients with short education, low income, and those who lived alone persisted after 3-year and 5-years of follow-up (Table 1). Conclusion: In a real world setting, shorter education, living alone, and lower income were not associated with increased risk of progression to AML but with inferior survival in Danish MDS patients. These results suggest that in spite of "free and equal access" to healthcare and cancer treatment in Denmark, short education, living alone, and low income are adverse prognostic factors for patients with MDS. Further analyses are ongoing to get insight into the mechanisms driving these socioeconomic disparities in MDS patients. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Educational differences in long-term care use in Sweden during the last two years of life

Background: In old age, many people experience a period of functional decline and require long-term care. Sweden has a universal largely tax-financed health and social care system that is used by all societal groups. However, few studies have investigated if educational groups use publicly paid long-term care equitably. The aim of this study was to explore educational differences in the use of long-term care, including both home care and institutional care, during the last two years of life in Sweden. Methods: We used linked register data on mortality and long-term care use, including all adults aged ⩾67 years who died in Sweden in November 2015 ( N=6329). We used zero-inflated negative binomial regression models to analyse the number of months with long-term care by educational level, both crude and adjusted for age at death and cohabitation status. Men and women were analysed separately. Results: People with tertiary education died more commonly without using any long-term care compared to primary educated people (28.0% vs. 18.6%; p<0.001). In the adjusted model, educational differences in the estimated number of months with long-term care disappeared among men but remained significant among women (primary educated: odds ratio=17.3 (confidence interval 16.8–17.7); tertiary educated: odds ratio=15.8 (confidence interval 14.8–16.8)). Conclusions: Older adults spend considerable time in their last two years of life with long-term care. Only minor educational differences in long-term care use remained after adjustment for cohabitation status and age at death. This suggest that Sweden’s publicly financed long-term system achieves relatively equitable use of long-term care at the end of life.

Social Relations and Contact With General Practitioner in a Middle-aged Danish Population: A Prospective Register- and Survey-Based Cohort Study

Background: Findings about the relationship between individuals’ social relations and general practitioner (GP) contact are ambiguous as to whether weak social relations are associated with an increased or decreased consultation pattern. Furthermore, social relations may affect GP contact differently for men compared to women, between socioeconomic groups and according to perceived need. The overall aim of the study is to examine the association between functional aspects of social relations, perceived emotional and instrumental social support, the tendency to consult a GP and the frequency of GP contact. Methods: The study comprised 6911 individuals aged 49–61 at baseline from the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank (CAMB). We conducted a two-part regression to explore the association between perceived emotional and instrumental social support and GP contact (tendency and frequency), controlling for age, sex, occupational social class, cohabitation status and number of morbidities. Conclusions: Results show no overall effect of the perceived social support aspects of social relations on GP contact. Trial registration: The study has been registered and approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency and the local ethical committee (approval No.H-A-2008-126 and No. 2013-41-1814).

Factors associated with access to assistive technology and telecare in home-dwelling people with dementia: baseline data from the [email protected] trial

Background There is a knowledge gap regarding factors that may influence the access to different devices for home-dwelling people with dementia (PwD). The aim of this study was to identify different assistive technology and telecare (ATT) devices installed in the home and key factors associated with access to such technology. Methods The baseline data came from the [email protected] trial, a 24-month multi-component intervention including PwDs and their informal caregivers (dyads) and were collected through semi-quantitative questionnaires in three Norwegian municipalities between May and November of 2019. Regression models were applied to detect demographic and clinical factors associated with access to ATT. Results Of 438 screened dyads, 276 were included at baseline. The mean ages of the PwDs and caregivers were 82 ± 7.0 and 66 ± 12 years, respectively, and 62.8% of the PwD were female and 73.5% had access to any type of ATT. The majority had traditional equipment such as stove guards (43.3%) and social alarms (39.5%) or everyday technology, e.g. calendar support and door locks (45.3%). Multivariate regression analyses revealed that access to a social alarm was more often available for females than males, at increased age, and when the PwD lived alone, while tracking devices (14.9%) were more often accessible at lower age. Everyday technology was more often available for females, at increased age of the PwD and the caregiver, higher comorbidity, and poor IADL (instrumental activities of daily living) function. For PwDs with severe dementia, access to ATT was significantly associated with poor IADL function, having their children as the main caregiver (61.3%), and having caregivers who contributed 81–100% to their care (49.5%). Conclusions Home-dwelling PwDs mainly had access to traditional and obligated devices, followed by everyday technology. There is unmet potential for communication, tracking, and sensing technology, especially for devices not offered by the municipalities. Gender, ages of the PwD and caregiver, cohabitation status, and physical function were the main associated factors for access to ATT. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04043364.

A Psychometric Examination of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale and the Fear of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Scale in the Italian Population

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has caused not only significant physical health problems but also mental health disorders. Anxiety and fear appear to be the main psychological symptoms associated with COVID-19. The aim of this study was to investigate whether anxiety and fear related to COVID-19 are influenced by sociodemographics and whether specific conditions, such as positivity for COVID-19 or death among relatives and friends, can further enhance these symptoms. In this cross-sectional study, 697 Italians responded to an online survey assessing sociodemographic information, the presence/absence of positive cases, or deaths due to COVID-19 among relatives or acquaintances. The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) and Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCS-19S) were administered in order to assess the levels of anxiety and fear associated with COVID-19. The data were collected in November 2020. Anxiety and fear scores were positively correlated. Both male and female subjects with higher CAS scores also displayed higher FCS-19S scores. The CAS and FCS-19S scores tended to increase with age, with older subjects exhibiting higher scores than younger subjects. Additionally, respondents with lower educational levels demonstrated higher scores on both the CAS and FCS-19S. Similarly, respondents living with older people and/or experiencing the death of one or more relatives due to COVID-19 exhibited corresponding outcomes. This study demonstrates how the levels of anxiety and fear, measured by CAS and FCS-19S associated with COVID-19, are influenced by gender, age, cohabitation status, educational levels, and the presence of positive cases or deaths due to COVID-19.

Is Where Same-Sex Couples Live a Valid Measure for Where Single Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual People Live in Population Health Research? Results from a National Probability Phone Survey, 2017, United States

Emerging evidence using the concentration of same-sex couples from the U.S. Census suggests lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB), and transgender (LGBT; i.e., sexual and gender minority [SGM]) people living as a same-sex couple are concentrated in less healthful neighborhoods. However, it is unclear if findings would be different if based on where LGBT individuals live. Thus, we sought to assess differences in neighborhood, county, and state characteristics between same-sex couples and LGBT individuals to inform population health research and policy interventions on LGBT health inequities. In 2017, we conducted a cross-sectional national, probability survey of LGBT adults in the U.S. and geocoded addresses (N = 407). We linked locations with census tract, county, and state characteristics selected based on health inequities theories. In 2019, we used weighted analysis to calculate descriptive statistics and conducted planned contrasts of location characteristics by both cohabitation status and gender. Many location characteristics were similar by cohabitation status and gender. However, the tract proportion of Black residents and county crime rate were lower for cohabitating than non-cohabitating men. State smoke-free air score was weaker for cohabitating than non-cohabitating women. The use of same-sex couples to determine the geographical clustering of LGBT lives in the U.S. may give a reasonable indication of overall spatial characteristics but can underestimate some important determinants of health. Care should be taken using same-sex couples as a proxy for LGBT concentration when racial segregation is a potential confounder.

P4765Men who live alone have poor anticoagulation control: results from Danish registries

Background Efficacy and safety of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) depend on quality of anticoagulation control, usually measured as time in therapeutic range (TTR). Factors that predict low TTR on VKAs could be used to identify patients who might benefit from interventions, or who would be better treated with a non-VKA oral anticoagulant (NOAC). Patients living alone may have difficulties in taking their medications, managing their diets, or coming to clinic for monitoring. Purpose To assess influence of cohabitation status on TTR with VKA among men and women. Methods We identified all Danish patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who initiated VKA between 1997 and 2012, and studied patients who had 6 months of continuous VKA use and international normalized ratio (INR) monitoring. Patients were divided according to sex and whether they lived alone or with others. We calculated TTR using the Rosendaal method, and INR variability using Fihns method. We used a linear regression model to test for associations between TTR and covariates, and adjusted for age, income, medications and comorbidities. Results We identified 4,772 AF patients with 6 months of continuous VKA use and INR monitoring. 713 (15%) were men living alone, 1,073 (23%) were women living alone, 2,164 (45%) were men not living alone and 822 (17%) were women not living alone. INR was measured a median of 11 (interquartile range 8–15) times during the 180 days of VKA use, but men who lived alone had 0.6 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.2 to 1.2) fewer INR measurements during the period. Median TTR was lowest among men living alone (57.2%), followed by women living alone (58.8%), women not living alone (61.0%) and men not living alone (62.5%). After multivariable adjustment, men who lived alone had a 3.6% (CI −5.6 to −1.6) lower TTR compared with men not living alone, but women who lived alone did not have significantly lower TTR (P=0.80) compared with women not living alone. Living alone had significantly greater effect on TTR among men than among women (interaction P=0.02). Men living alone also had higher adjusted INR variability (0.2, CI 0.0 to 0.4) compared with men not living alone. Conclusion Living alone was significantly related to low quality of anticoagulation control among men, but not among women. Acknowledgement/Funding this study was funded by an unrestricted grant from the Capital Region of Denmark, Foundation for Health Research

P3529Prognostic impact of cohabitation status in hospitalized patients with acute heart failure

Background The prevalence of heart failure (HF) in the elderly is steadily increasing, therefore, the prudent care and treatment according to individual's characteristics, comorbidities, or prognosis, should be prerequisite. Although cohabitations status in each elderly patient is different, an association of this condition with long-term prognosis remains to be identified definitively in Japan. Purpose The purpose of the present study was to examine the prognostic impact of cohabitation status on 3-year mortality among hospitalized acute HF patients. Methods The study population comprised a total of 817 individuals who were hospitalized for acute HF between November 2009 and December 2015, and was followed up for 3 years. We classified patients into three groups (cohabitation with spouse, cohabitation with another generation, and living alone). We evaluated relative predictive values between these three groups for 3-year mortality by Cox regression model. Results The median age was 79 (interquartile range 70–85) years, and 55.7% of the subjects were male. Median length of hospital stay was 16 (interquartile range 11–23) days. The distribution of three groups was cohabitation with spouse (50.9%), cohabitation with another generation (28.5%), and living alone (20.6%). The overall rate of 3-year mortality was 32.2% (n=263), 31.5% (n=131) in cohabitation with spouse, 38.2% (n=89) in cohabitation with another generation, and 25.6% (n=43) in living alone. Cohabitation with another generation was significantly related to the occurrence of 3-year mortality by univariate analysis (P<0.001). Age (84 years vs. 77 years), the frequency of female (69.1% vs. 33.4%), left ventricular ejection fraction (52.7% vs. 47.5%) were significantly greater, whereas body mass index (21.2 vs. 22.6), smoking status (27.0% vs. 53.4%), ischemic etiology (27.5% vs. 35.6%), and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (32.2% vs. 41.4%) and atrial fibrillation (20.6% vs. 29.8%) were significantly (P<0.05) smaller in cohabitation with another generation than others. The ratio of home return and optimal medical therapy were similar between the 2 groups. Cohabitation with another generation was associated with higher relative risk of 3-year mortality than living alone [Hazard Ratio (HR) 1.65; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.15–2.38, P=0.007], or cohabitation with spouse (HR 1.46; 95% CI 1.12–1.92, P=0.006). Multivariable Cox regression model, with adjustment for age, albumin, brain natriuretic peptide, and prior HF hospitalization, revealed that cohabitation with another generation was no longer significant. Conclusion Our present results suggest that cohabitation status affected on long-term prognosis in patients with HF, especially cohabitation with another generation posed as worst predictor. We should pay more attention to social factors including cohabitation status in the clinical practice.