Epidemiology and Disparities in Sepsis Outcomes

Sepsis, a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, represents a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Over the past two decades, global incidence has risen in part due to ageing populations, expanding comorbidities and evolving pathogen profiles. Mortality rates remain high, particularly in low- and middle-income regions, where resource constraints impede early recognition and standardised treatment. Within high-income settings, persistent disparities in sepsis outcomes reflect underlying social determinants of health. Individuals of lower socioeconomic status, ethnic minorities and those living in rural or medically underserved areas experience higher incidence, delayed access to critical interventions and poorer survival. Comorbid conditions such as diabetes, chronic lung or kidney disease further amplify risk. Maternal and neonatal sepsis contribute substantially to peripartum mortality in deprived regions. A nuanced understanding of how geography, healthcare exposure, social support and biological vulnerability intertwine is essential to inform targeted prevention, early detection and equitable resource allocation.

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Epidemiology and Disparities in Sepsis Outcomes publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in epidemiology and disparities in sepsis outcomes across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Sepsis: A syndrome of life-threatening organ dysfunction resulting from a dysregulated host response to infection.

Septic shock: A subset of sepsis in which profound circulatory, cellular and metabolic abnormalities substantially increase mortality risk.

Incidence: The rate at which new cases of sepsis occur in a defined population over a specified period.

Mortality rate: The proportion of patients with sepsis who die within a defined timeframe, often expressed per 100 or per 1 000 cases.

Comorbidity: The presence of one or more chronic medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, chronic lung disease) that coexist with sepsis and influence outcomes.

Socioeconomic status (SES): A composite measure of an individual’s economic and social position relative to others, based on income, education and occupation.

Health disparity: A preventable difference in health outcomes experienced by socially disadvantaged populations.

Rurality: Classification of residence based on population density and distance from urban centres, often linked to healthcare access challenges.

References

1. Rapid systematic review on risks and outcomes of sepsis: the influence of risk factors associated with health inequalities. International Journal for Equity in Health (2024).
2. Is patients’ rurality associated with in-hospital sepsis death in US hospitals?. Frontiers in Public Health (2023).
3. Assessment of Health Care Exposures and Outcomes in Adult Patients With Sepsis and Septic Shock. JAMA Network Open (2020).