Exploring the association between social determinants and aphasia impairment: A retrospective data integration approach.

<h4>Introduction</h4>Traditionally, the study of aphasia focused on brain trauma, clinical biomarkers, and cognitive processes, rarely considering the social determinants of health. This study evaluates the relationship between aphasia impairment and demographic, socioeconomic, and conte...

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Main Authors: Molly Jacobs, Elizabeth Evans, Charles Ellis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299979
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author Molly Jacobs
Elizabeth Evans
Charles Ellis
author_facet Molly Jacobs
Elizabeth Evans
Charles Ellis
author_sort Molly Jacobs
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Introduction</h4>Traditionally, the study of aphasia focused on brain trauma, clinical biomarkers, and cognitive processes, rarely considering the social determinants of health. This study evaluates the relationship between aphasia impairment and demographic, socioeconomic, and contextual determinants among people with aphasia (PWA).<h4>Methods</h4>PWA indexed within AphasiaBank-a database populated by multiple clinical aphasiology centers with standardized protocols characterizing language, neuropsychological functioning, and demographic information-were matched with respondents in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey based on response year, age, sex, race, ethnicity, time post stroke, and mental health status. Generalized log-linear regression models with bootstrapped standard errors evaluated the association between scores on the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised Aphasia Quotient (WAB-R AQ) and demographic, economic, and contextual characteristics accounting for clustering of respondents and the stratification of data collection. Region, age, and income specific models tested the sensitivity of results.<h4>Results</h4>PWA over age 60 had 2.4% (SE = 0.020) lower WAB-R AQ scores compared with younger PWA. Compared to White PWA, Black and Hispanic PWA had 4.7% (SE = 0.03) and 0.81% (SE = 0.06) lower WAB-R AQ scores, respectively, as did those and living in the Southern US (-2.2%, SE = 0.03) even after controlling for age, family size, and aphasia type. Those living in larger families (β = 0.005, SE = 0.008), with income over $30,000 (β = 0.017, SE = 0.022), and a college degree (β = 0.030, SE = 0.035) had higher WAB-R AQ relative to their counterparts. Region-specific models showed that racial differences were only significant in the South and Midwest, while ethnic differences are only significant in the West. Sex differences only appeared in age-specific models. Racial and ethnic differences were not significant in the high-income group regression.<h4>Conclusion</h4>These findings support evidence that circumstances in which individuals live, work, and age are significantly associated with their health outcomes including aphasia impairment.
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spelling doaj.art-a98d06bc08ca47b9b8fa1fa200be8f962024-03-27T05:32:46ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-01193e029997910.1371/journal.pone.0299979Exploring the association between social determinants and aphasia impairment: A retrospective data integration approach.Molly JacobsElizabeth EvansCharles Ellis<h4>Introduction</h4>Traditionally, the study of aphasia focused on brain trauma, clinical biomarkers, and cognitive processes, rarely considering the social determinants of health. This study evaluates the relationship between aphasia impairment and demographic, socioeconomic, and contextual determinants among people with aphasia (PWA).<h4>Methods</h4>PWA indexed within AphasiaBank-a database populated by multiple clinical aphasiology centers with standardized protocols characterizing language, neuropsychological functioning, and demographic information-were matched with respondents in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey based on response year, age, sex, race, ethnicity, time post stroke, and mental health status. Generalized log-linear regression models with bootstrapped standard errors evaluated the association between scores on the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised Aphasia Quotient (WAB-R AQ) and demographic, economic, and contextual characteristics accounting for clustering of respondents and the stratification of data collection. Region, age, and income specific models tested the sensitivity of results.<h4>Results</h4>PWA over age 60 had 2.4% (SE = 0.020) lower WAB-R AQ scores compared with younger PWA. Compared to White PWA, Black and Hispanic PWA had 4.7% (SE = 0.03) and 0.81% (SE = 0.06) lower WAB-R AQ scores, respectively, as did those and living in the Southern US (-2.2%, SE = 0.03) even after controlling for age, family size, and aphasia type. Those living in larger families (β = 0.005, SE = 0.008), with income over $30,000 (β = 0.017, SE = 0.022), and a college degree (β = 0.030, SE = 0.035) had higher WAB-R AQ relative to their counterparts. Region-specific models showed that racial differences were only significant in the South and Midwest, while ethnic differences are only significant in the West. Sex differences only appeared in age-specific models. Racial and ethnic differences were not significant in the high-income group regression.<h4>Conclusion</h4>These findings support evidence that circumstances in which individuals live, work, and age are significantly associated with their health outcomes including aphasia impairment.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299979
spellingShingle Molly Jacobs
Elizabeth Evans
Charles Ellis
Exploring the association between social determinants and aphasia impairment: A retrospective data integration approach.
PLoS ONE
title Exploring the association between social determinants and aphasia impairment: A retrospective data integration approach.
title_full Exploring the association between social determinants and aphasia impairment: A retrospective data integration approach.
title_fullStr Exploring the association between social determinants and aphasia impairment: A retrospective data integration approach.
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the association between social determinants and aphasia impairment: A retrospective data integration approach.
title_short Exploring the association between social determinants and aphasia impairment: A retrospective data integration approach.
title_sort exploring the association between social determinants and aphasia impairment a retrospective data integration approach
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299979
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