Sepsis management has traditionally focused on timely antibiotic treatment, hemodynamic support, and source control, but emerging evidence suggests that outcomes may be shaped long before patients reach the ICU. In this episode of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Podcast, host Diane C. McLaughlin, DNP, AGACNP-BC, CCRN, FCCM, speaks with Sayed Abdulmotaleb Almoosawy, MBChB (Hons), about his article “The Association Between Socioeconomic Position and Mortality in Patients With Sepsis and Septic Shock—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” published in the April 2026 issue of Critical Care Medicine.

Drawing on 13 observational studies that encompassed nearly 4 million patients, the analysis evaluates how factors such as insurance status, income, education, and neighborhood deprivation relate to short-term mortality outcomes. The findings reveal a consistent association between lower socioeconomic position and increased mortality, with lack of private insurance demonstrating the strongest signal—likely reflecting barriers to timely access to care and delayed presentation.

This episode challenges clinicians and researchers alike to recognize the link between socioeconomic disadvantages and worse sepsis outcomes, highlighting the need to collect equity-relevant data and reduce gaps in care to improve survival for critically ill patients.

Resources referenced in this episode:

Almoosawy SA, Fernando SM, Rochwerg B, et al. The association between socioeconomic position and mortality in patients with sepsis and septic shock—a systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Care Med. 2026;54(4):692-700.

Prescott HC, Antonelli M, Alhazzani W, et al. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2026. Crit Care Med. 2026;54(4):725-812.

SCCMPod-574 CCM: Socioeconomic Factors in Sepsis Survival

SCCM Podcast

SCCMPod-574 CCM: Socioeconomic Factors in Sepsis Survival