Introduction: Classical deprivation instruments use a factor analytical approach relying on a smaller number of dimensions, factors or components. Multi-dimensional deprivation models attempt classification in fine detail-even down to street level.
Methods: Single-centre retrospective cohort study using routinely collected aggregated and anonymised data on emergency medical admissions (96,526 episodes in 50,731 patients; 2002-2016). We calculated admission/readmission rate incidences for the 74 small areas within the hospital catchment area. We compared a classical Small Area Health Research Unit (SAHRU) to the multi-dimensional POBAL Haase and Pratschke Deprivation Index for Small Areas (POBAL) deprivation instrument and their deprivation ranks for two Irish censuses (2006/ 2011).
Results: There was poor agreement between the instruments of the Deprivation Ranks by Quintile-with agreement in 46 and 42% of small areas for the respective 2006 and 2011 censuses. The classical model (SAHRU) suggested more areas with severe deprivation (Q5 66 and 55%) compared with POBAL (Q5 32 and 24%) from the respective censuses. SAHRU classical instrument had a higher prediction level incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.48 (95% CI 1.47, 1.49)) compared with POBAL IRR 1.28 (95% CI 1.27, 1.28) and systematically lower estimates of hospital admission and readmission rate incidences. Earlier Census data modelled more powerfully, suggesting a long latency between social circumstances and the ultimate expression of the emergency medical admission.
Conclusion: Deprivation influences hospital incidence rates for emergency medical admissions and readmissions; instruments focusing at the very small area (individual or street level) have a utility but appear inferior in terms of representing the population risk of environmental/socio-economic factors which seem best approximated at a larger scale.
Keywords: Deprivation model; Emergency medical admission; Incidence rates.