Abstract 219: Marriage May Hold the Key to Lower Readmission Rates

Abstract

Background: Prior studies have shown that marital status can affect readmission rates. This study sought to determine whether marital status impacts patient outcomes in a population of BRIDGE (a post-discharge transitional cardiac care clinic) patients. Methods: Analysis was conducted for all BRIDGE patients referred from 2008-2013 with valid marital status information (n=1534). The population was divided into two cohorts, married (n=887) and not married (n=647). The unmarried group included those who marked “single” (n=406), “widowed” (n=218), or “other” (n=23). Outcome variables included 30, 60, 90, and 180 day readmission, ED visit, and death rates, and BRIDGE attendance and depression rates. Results: Married patients were significantly less likely to have an ED visit within 90 (20.0% v 23.8%, p=0.011) and 180 (30.1% v 33.5%, p=0.017) days of discharge. Married patients were also significantly less likely to have depression (20.1% v 29.6%, p<0.001) and were more likely to attend BRIDGE (74.0% v 69.6%, p=0.060), though not significantly. Conclusions: Marriage is associated with fewer long-term ED visits and lower rates of depression. These findings raise the question of whether providers should approach care and discharge instructions differently for patients who lack a spouse or other social support.