This study looked at how social and economic factors affect access to care for kids and young adults with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the knee. OCD is a joint problem where a piece of bone and cartilage in the knee becomes unstable, causing pain and potential long-term damage.
Researchers analyzed over 650 patients from 2015–2023 using the Child Opportunity Index (COI), which measures neighborhood resources like education, health care, and environment.
Key findings:
Most patients came from neighborhoods with high opportunity scores (better access to resources).
Kids from higher-opportunity areas saw more providers before surgery and had slightly better function scores.
Kids from lower-opportunity areas were less likely to see multiple specialists before surgery, meaning they may have fewer chances for timely or specialized care.
Pain levels and overall symptoms didn’t vary much across groups, but access to care clearly did.
In short: where a child lives can affect how quickly and thoroughly they get care for OCD, which may lead to differences in treatment and outcomes.
