Variations in Postpartum Readmission by Individual Race, Ethnicity, and Rurality in South Carolina

Do individual residential rurality and individual race and ethnicity intersect with the risk of postpartum readmission (PPR) within 1 year post partum?In this cohort study of 190 645 births in South Carolina from January 2018 to December 31, 2021, compared with non-Hispanic White individuals, non-Hispanic Black individuals in urban areas had higher risk of all-cause PPR, whereas Hispanic individuals had lower risk. Rural residence was associated with higher all-cause PPR risk but also with attenuated racial and ethnic disparities.Findings suggest that Black individuals in urban areas face the highest risk of all-cause PPR, rural living is associated with increased readmission risk overall, and, while rurality may be associated with decreases in some racial disparities, significant inequities remain.

Corresponding Author: Curisa M. Tucker, PhD, RN, Biobehavioral Health tuckercm@mailbox.sc.edu).

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