MHA Press Room

Study: Blacks less likely to survive cardiac arrest in hospital

African Americans are 10% less likely than whites to survive a cardiac arrest while under hospital care, according to a study published Sept. 15 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Based on eight years of data from the National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, the study also found that African-American patients are more likely to have irregular heart beats and are sicker when admitted to the hospital.

“Whether lower rates of post-resuscitation survival in blacks are due to lower quality [intensive care unit] expertise, less aggressive use of post-resuscitation therapies or other characteristics of the hospital to which they are more likely to be admitted, requires further study,” the authors said.

IOM calls for patient race, ethnicity data standards

The Department of Health and Human Services should develop national standards for collecting data on patient race, ethnicity and primary language to better understand and address disparities in health care quality and outcomes, according to a report released Aug. 31 by the Institute of Medicine. Additional data categories should be combined with categories in use by the Office of Management and Budget, and these new standards should be used by federally funded health care programs and in electronic health record systems, the report recommends. 

Study: Disparities in women’s health, access to care vary by state

Racial and ethnic disparities in women’s health and access to health care vary substantially by state, according to a study released June 10 by the Kaiser Family Foundation. For example, the diabetes rate among minority women ranges from 2.6% in Maine to 10.4% in North Dakota, while the uninsured rate among minority women ranges from 9.9% in Hawaii to 46.1% in Montana.

Social determinants of health, such as poverty levels and high school graduation rates, also vary substantially by state, the study found. “This report demonstrates that disparities in health are not one problem but many and vary from state to state - and that a variety of strategies will be needed if we hope to turn things around,” said Kaiser President and CEO Drew Altman.

HHS report, forum call for health reform to reduce disparities

Low-income Americans and racial and ethnic minorities experience disproportionately higher rates of disease, fewer treatment options and reduced access to care,according to a report released June 9 by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius that calls for reducing disparities as part of health reform. The report was released in conjunction with a White House forum on health reform and disparities.

At a news briefing on June 9, members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus announced their reform priorities for reducing racial and ethnic health disparities. The groups called for elevating the National Institutes of Health’s National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities and strengthening HHS’ Office of Minority Health. They also called for a public health insurance plan option and adequate reimbursement for language and translation services.

Study: Segregation may contribute to racial disparities in care

African-American heart attack patients who live in highly segregated areas are more likely than whites to be admitted to hospitals with lower survival rates, according to a study published online today by Health Affairs. The study, which examined Medicare admissions for heart attack in 118 health care markets between 2000 and 2005, suggests that eliminating health care disparities will likely require addressing the social factors that lead to segregation.

For example, African Americans are more likely than whites to be treated by African-American physicians, who are more likely to practice in hospitals with a tradition of caring for African Americans. These hospitals may serve a higher proportion of uninsured patients and face financial pressures that can compromise quality, the study notes.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Hispanics more likely to be hospitalized for diabetes

Hispanic adults are much more likely than whites to be hospitalized for diabetes and other health problems that might be prevented or controlled with good outpatient care, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In 2006, Hispanic adults were more than twice as likely as whites to be hospitalized for uncontrolled diabetes and its complications, and nearly 1.5 times as likely to be hospitalized for circulatory conditions such as congestive heart failure and high blood pressure. The findings are based on data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s 2006 State Inpatient Databases.

Report: 27% of Hispanics lack a usual health care provider

More than one-fourth of U.S. Hispanic adults have no usual health care provider, according to a survey released Aug. 14 by the Pew Hispanic Center and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. As with the general population, Hispanics who are male, young, less educated and without health insurance are least likely to have a usual health care provider.

The main reason respondents cited for not having a regular provider was the belief they did not need one. More than three-quarters of those who received health care in the past year rated their care as good or excellent. Most Hispanics received health care information from the media, or their families, friends, churches and community groups.

Center to study how genomics can address health disparities

The National Institutes of Health on March 17 launched a center that will use genomics tools to study the complex factors underlying health disparities. Genetic epidemiologist Charles Rotimi, former director of the National Human Genome Center at Howard University, will direct the Intramural Center for Genomics and Health Disparities, which will collect and study genetic, clinical, lifestyle and socioeconomic data on a range of clinical conditions.

Report examines racial, ethnic health disparities

The Commonwealth Fund on March 13 issued a chart book on racial and ethnic disparities in health care compiled from national surveys and other studies. It includes data on health status and mortality, access to care, health insurance coverage and quality of care, as well as possible strategies to close the health disparities gap.

Health disparities narrowing for minority children

Over the past two decades, black and Hispanic children have made significant gains in their health status which have narrowed the disparities between themselves and white children, according to a new child development report. The report, which also looks at safety and income, notes that minority children still do worse than whites on some key measures (for example, obesity rates among black and Hispanic children remain higher than for whites), but that they are  less likely to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, abuse drugs or commit suicide.

The gap between black and white children closed by one-fourth, and between Hispanics and whites by one-third, concludes the report, sponsored by the Foundation for Child Development. To learn more, read this article in USA TODAY.