Highlight
- Higher neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation correlates with lower adherence to annual diabetic retinopathy screening guidelines.
- Medicare beneficiaries living in the most deprived areas had up to 24% lower screening rates than those in the least deprived areas.
- The association remains significant after adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, the COVID-19 pandemic, and local healthcare resources.
- Findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions to improve screening adherence in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.
