SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Prevalence of Poorly Controlled Chronic Diseases in Recently Hospitalized Patients

Pdf Summary

This study examined whether recent hospitalization could be used as an opportunity to improve chronic disease management. Using nationally representative data from the 2017–2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the authors analyzed adults who reported at least one overnight hospital stay in the prior 12 months.<br /><br />They focused on “poorly controlled” chronic diseases as a marker of potential optimization opportunities after discharge. The analysis included descriptive statistics, bivariate comparisons, and multivariable logistic regression.<br /><br />The key finding was that 23.6% of recently hospitalized adults—about 5.6 million people in the U.S.—had at least one poorly controlled chronic disease in the year after discharge. This suggests that hospitalization may be a meaningful touchpoint for identifying patients who could benefit from intensified chronic disease management.<br /><br />The study also found disparities in who had these opportunities. Older adults, non-Hispanic Black patients, and those with less education were more likely to have poorly controlled chronic disease after hospitalization.<br /><br />The authors conclude that because a substantial share of hospitalized patients have unmet chronic care needs, hospitals may be a useful setting for interventions aimed at improving disease control. However, the study has important limitations: it is cross-sectional, cannot establish whether hospitalization preceded poor control, and does not account for individualized treatment targets. Future work should use more detailed local data and pilot interventions to test feasibility within hospital medicine workflows.

Asset Subtitle

Alexander Chaitoff

Meta Tag

Author List Alexander Chaitoff, Julie Lauffenburger, Nancy Haff, Niteesh Choudhry, Stephanie K. Mueller

Category Research

Concept Poorly Controlled Chronic Disease

Concept Chronic Disease

Concept Hospitalization

Concept Recently Hospitalized Adults

Concept Demographic Difference

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Brigham and Women's Hospital

Presenting Author Alexander Chaitoff

Track Other

Keywords

hospitalization

chronic disease management

poorly controlled chronic disease

discharge

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

NHANES

health disparities

older adults

non-Hispanic Black patients

multivariable logistic regression

Poorly Controlled Chronic Disease

Chronic Disease

Hospitalization

Recently Hospitalized Adults

Demographic Difference