AHRQ Report Highlights Health Disparities Related to Sepsis

The number of sepsis-related inpatient stays at non-federal acute care hospitals in the United States increased from 1.8 million in 2016 to 2.5 million in 2021, with a faster rate of increase following the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020, according to a report to Congress issued by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). 

The COVID 19 pandemic led to a noticeable rise in sepsis-related hospitalizations, hospital costs, and in-hospital mortality, particularly for patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis.

AHRQ was directed by Congress to conduct a comprehensive set of studies that calculate the morbidity, hospital readmissions, and mortality related to sepsis. The report examines sepsis among all patients as well as among specific patient populations, including adults, pregnant women, children, and newborns. The report also examines the association of pandemic-related changes in the healthcare system with the burden of sepsis.

"AHRQ's report to Congress highlights health disparities and geographic variation in sepsis caseloads, in-hospital mortality rates, and total hospital costs, which are all opportunities for targeted initiatives to improve patient outcomes and reduce financial strain on healthcare institutions," said AHRQ Director Robert Valdez, Ph.D., M.H.S.A., in a statement. 

"Improving the quality of sepsis care for patients and reducing the burden of sepsis on the hospital system will also require continued investments by federal, state, and non-governmental entities to further strengthen the surveillance and quality improvement systems to ensure access to evidence-based care and resources for patients with sepsis."

The report found that hospital emergency departments served as the entry point for most inpatient admissions related to sepsis. Detailed analyses on hospital use related to sepsis underscore its burden on hospital systems, and include:
• National trends in sepsis-related hospital utilization, morbidity, and in-hospital mortality, as well as trends for key patient populations, including adults, pregnant women, children, and newborns.
• Disparities in hospital utilization for sepsis and associated outcomes by patient race and ethnicity, sex, residence in socially vulnerable communities, and urban/rural location.
• State variation in hospital utilization for sepsis and associated costs, and in-hospital mortality rate.