Socioeconomic disparities in the comorbidities and surgical management of pediatric Crohn's disease.

Background: To examine differences in comorbidities and surgical management based on socioeconomics in hospitalized children with Crohn's disease (CD).

Methods: Using the Kids' Inpatient Database for 2006-2012, we identified patients (<21 years) with a CD diagnosis. Cases were analyzed and stratified by median parental income by zip code. Multivariable logistic regression was performed.

Results: Of the 28,337 pediatric CD hospitalizations identified, patients were more likely male (51.1%), non-Hispanic white (71.3%), and had a mean age of 15.9 years. The proportion of minority patients increased as income quartile declined. Higher income quartile patients were more likely to be coded with anxiety and less likely with anemia. The highest income quartile was more likely to have a bowel obstruction, and peritoneal/intestinal abscess and was also 28% more likely to undergo a major surgical procedure.

Conclusions: Significant variability exists in the reported comorbidities and surgical interventions associated with CD by income quartile. Lower income quartile patients are more likely to be of minority ethnicity and anemic, but less likely to undergo a major surgical procedure. Further investigation is warranted to determine whether these differences represent disease variability, differences in healthcare resource allocation, or implicit bias in management.

Impact: There is a disparity in the care of children and young adults with Crohn's disease based on parental income. Links between parental income and the treatment of Crohn's disease in children and young adults has not been assessed in national datasets in the United States. Children in the highest income quartile were more likely to undergo a major surgical procedure. The variations in healthcare for hospitalized children and young adults with CD found in this study may represent variability in patient disease, implicit bias, or a disparity in healthcare delivery across the United States.