Measurement of Socioeconomic Deprivation in Orthopaedic Trauma

» There is wide variability in the measurement tools used to assess socioeconomic deprivation status (SDS) in orthopaedic trauma research, including single-item, multi-item, and area-based indices.» Area-based SDS measures are commonly used because they can be readily linked to geographic identifiers in administrative data; however, they are limited by ecological fallacy and may misclassify individual-level socioeconomic status.» The lack of standardization in SDS measurement limits comparability across studies, highlighting the need for core measurement domains to support equity-focused research.