A new analysis of more than 30,000 hospital records shows how social and economic pressures deepen congestive heart failure (CHF) risk—especially for Black patients, who were disproportionately represented among those living with the disease. Researchers found that patients with CHF were “significantly older and more frequently male and Black” than those without the condition, revealing a racial imbalance that reflects long-standing inequities in cardiovascular health.
The study examined social determinants of health documented in electronic health records, uncovering patterns of instability that clustered around the sickest patients. Financial strain, food insecurity, transportation barriers, depression, and stress were all more common among people with CHF. Although each factor had a small individual effect, together they formed potent combinations of disadvantage. A heatmap included in the paper showed tight clusters of patients facing “financial strain, food insecurity, and transportation challenges,” while another group experienced overlapping depression, alcohol use, and stress—burdens known to undermine chronic disease management.
Racial disparities emerged clearly in the demographic analysis: Black patients made up 42.9% of the CHF population but only 38.3% of those without CHF. White patients, meanwhile, had “lower adjusted odds of CHF.” The authors conclude that these patterns likely reflect accumulated structural inequities, including reduced access to preventive care and greater exposure to social adversity.
The findings suggest that screening for and addressing social needs—financial instability, housing, food access, transportation, and mental health—could improve outcomes and help close widening racial gaps in heart failure.
See: “Leveraging Healthcare Analytics to Uncover Social Determinants of Health Disparities in Congestive Heart Failure” (December 8, 2025)
