Health Care : Current Reviews

Correlations between median income and hospitalization rate in Toronto

35^th Global Healthcare Summit

January 27-28, 2025 Webinar

Sunny Cui

Dartmouth College, USA

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Health Care Curr Re

Abstract:

This study examines the association between median household income and hospitalization rates in Toronto, using 2005 after-tax income data and hospitalization rates from 2008-2009 as indicators of socioeconomic status and health, respectively. Analysis reveals a noticeable negative correlation, where higher-income neighborhoods consistently exhibit lower hospitalization rates. Visual mapping highlights specific regions, with wealthier neighborhoods, marked in black, purple, and yellow, showing reduced hospitalizations, while lower-income areas, indicated in blue, face increased hospitalizations. These findings align with the hypothesis that lower socioeconomic status (SES) is linked to adverse health outcomes due to material and psychosocial disadvantages, including poor walkability, inadequate nutrition, and increased social stress. Further analysis points to various causal pathways: wealthier neighborhoods are often associated with better walkability, higher physical activity, and lower environmental pollution levels, which contribute to health advantages. Additionally, the study discusses the materialist hypothesis, suggesting that the cost barrier to healthier diets and lifestyle choices may lead to poorer health in low-income groups. The research also acknowledges broader trends and international parallels, where SES is consistently shown to influence health outcomes, as evidenced by improved health following income increases in various international studies, including those observing East Germany’s reunification and Earned Income Tax Credit impacts. Policy recommendations include implementing universal basic income, enhancing education funding, and improving immigrant transition programs, all of which could reduce income disparities and thereby improve health outcomes by addressing SES-related health risks. This analysis underscores the importance of targeted public health policies in addressing income inequality as a determinant of health and contributes to a growing body of evidence supporting socioeconomic interventions to reduce hospitalization rates and improve public health. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers aiming to promote health equity within diverse urban populations like Toronto’s.

Biography :

Sunny Cui is currently working on his PhD at the age of 23 years from Dartmouth College. He has published several papers in the domain of public health, particularly psychiatric population health.