Emergency surgery deaths more common among poor

New University College London research has found that poor people are much more likely to die after undergoing emergency surgery than wealthy people.

The study, which examined the number of people dying within 30 days of having an emergency laparotomy at one of 178 NHS hospitals in England, claims that patients from the most deprived areas have a 29 per cent greater risk of dying than those from the wealthiest districts.

The report, the results of which were based on data relating to 58,790 people who had an emergency laparotomy between December 2013 and November 2016, suggests that housing, education, employment status and working conditions are important in influencing who is most likely to die, not just medical conditions. Patients from the poorest socioeconomic backgrounds were in greatly increased danger of dying than those from wealthier ones.

Ramani Moonesinghe, co-author of the findings, said: “We are satisfied we have identified a significant association between patient poverty and the mortality rates following this commonly performed emergency procedure. Possible causes could include lifestyle-related risks, delayed diagnosis or presentation to hospital, along with follow-up access to healthcare services after discharge.”

John Abercrombie, council member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: “This important study shows that patients from deprived areas have a higher mortality rate from emergency abdominal surgery when compared with those who are better off. Survival rates should be consistently high across socio-economic groups. Patients’ chances should not depend on their pocket or their postcode. It is vital that the government ensures timely access to emergency care for patients with serious emergency abdominal conditions. These figures underline the necessity of preventing problems before they occur.”

The findings are published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia.