Impact of Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation on Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Adherence in Medicare Beneficiaries

Highlight

• Higher neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation correlates with lower adherence to annual diabetic retinopathy screening guidelines.
• Medicare beneficiaries living in the most deprived areas had up to 24% lower screening rates than those in the least deprived areas.
• The association remains significant after adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, the COVID-19 pandemic, and local healthcare resources.
• Findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions to improve screening adherence in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.

Study Background