How neighborhood and social factors influence when people get knee replacement
Social Determinants and Timeliness of Total Knee Replacement A National Perspective
This project looks at how neighborhood, healthcare access, and social circumstances affect when adults who need knee replacement actually receive surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11252622 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have knee arthritis, this project uses a national knee-replacement registry plus X-ray readings, maps of where people live, and Medicare records to understand timing of surgery. Researchers will classify whether operations happened earlier than ideal or at the right time based on symptoms and function. They will then examine how local healthcare access and the built environment (for example, transportation, clinics, sidewalks) relate to who gets surgery sooner or later and how much people improve afterward. The findings aim to identify social and neighborhood barriers that delay or hasten knee replacement so clinicians and policymakers can target help.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with moderate-to-severe knee osteoarthritis who are candidates for or have received total knee replacement, especially Medicare beneficiaries and patients in the FORCE-TJR registry.
Not a fit: People without knee osteoarthritis, those not considering surgery, or patients outside participating hospitals or the registry are unlikely to be directly impacted by participation in this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help direct knee replacement to people who will benefit most and reduce delays and inequities in access.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked social factors to access and use of joint replacement, but a national analysis combining radiographs, neighborhood data, and Medicare records to study timing of surgery is largely new.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ghomrawi, Hassan — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Ghomrawi, Hassan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.