The association between four neighborhood disadvantage indices and child chronic health classifications

This study evaluates the associations of four commonly used neighborhood indices with medical complexity classifications. All indices were associated with study outcomes. The Area Disadvantage Index (ADI) and Child Opportunity Index (COI) demonstrated incremental increases in the odds of receiving a classification of complex chronic disease (C-CD) compared to no chronic disease (N-CD) as neighborhood opportunity decreased or the disadvantage/deprivation/vulnerability increased. Being classified with a non-complex chronic disease (NC-CD) compared to N-CD, only the association with the COI increased incrementally at each level of opportunity. Study outcomes and index characteristics must be considered when designing studies.