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A Systematic Review of the State of Neurosurgical Disparities Research: Past, Present, and Future
Journal article   Peer reviewed

A Systematic Review of the State of Neurosurgical Disparities Research: Past, Present, and Future

Sangami Pugazenthi, Awinita Barpujari, Saarang Patel, Emily M. Estes, Vamsi Reddy, James L. Rogers, Angela Hardi, Hedwig Lee and Jennifer M. Strahle
World neurosurgery, v 182, pp 193-199.e4
Feb 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2023.11.127
PMID: 38040329
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

Abstract

Health disparities Neurosurgical disparities Race/ethnicity Sex/gender Social determinants of health Socioeconomic status
The social determinants of health, which influence healthcare access, patient outcomes, and population-level burden of disease, contribute to health disparities experienced by marginalized patient populations. In the present study, we sought to evaluate the landscape of health disparities research within neurosurgery. Embase, Ovid-MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ProQuest Dissertations databases were queried for original research on health disparities regarding access to, outcomes of, and/or postoperative management after neurosurgical procedures in the United States. Of 883 studies screened, 196 were included, of which 144 had a neurosurgery-affiliated author. We found a significant increase in the number of neurosurgical disparities reports beginning in 2010, with only 10 studies reported before 2010. Of the included studies, 3.1% used prospective methods and 63.8% used data from national registries. The disparities analyzed were racial/ethnic (79.6%), economic/socioeconomic (53.6%), gender (18.9%), and disabled populations (0.5%), with 40.1% analyzing multiple or intersecting disparities. Of the included reports, 96.9% were in phase 1 (detecting phase of disparities research), with a few studies in phase 2 (understanding phase), and none in phase 3 (reducing phase). The spine was the most prevalent subspecialty evaluated (34.2%), followed by neuro-oncology (19.9%), cerebrovascular (16.3%), pediatrics (10.7%), functional (9.2%), general neurosurgery (5.1%), and trauma (4.1%). Senior authors with a neurosurgical affiliation accounted for 79.2% of the reports, 93% of whom were academically affiliated. Although a recent increase has occurred in neurosurgical disparities research within the past decade, most studies were limited to the detection of disparities without understanding or evaluating any interventions for a reduction in disparities. Future research in neurosurgical disparities should incorporate the latter 2 factors to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for all patients.

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being
#4 Quality Education

Source: SDGs in the Output

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Clinical Neurology
Surgery
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