Assessing area-level deprivation as a proxy for individual-level social risks

This analysis explores how well the highest quartile (cold spot) of three different area-level social risk measures—the Social Deprivation Index, Area Deprivation Index, and Neighborhood Stress Score—corresponds with six individual-level social risks and three risk combinations among a national sample of Medicare Advantage members (N=77,503). Our findings provide additional evidence that area-level deprivation indices may be inconsistent indicators of individual-level social risks, supporting policy efforts to promote individual-level social screening programs in healthcare settings.

Read article: American Journal of Preventive Medicine