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Published on: August 23, 2017
Gender differences in utilization of exercise treadmill testing: a claims-based analysis
1Office of Outcomes Research, New York Presbyterian Healthcare System, USA. dsbattle@med.cornell.edu
Summary
Women undergo significantly less exercise treadmill testing (ETT) than men, potentially leading to underdetection of coronary artery disease (CAD) and delayed treatment. This disparity persists across age groups, impacting women's cardiovascular health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Women with coronary artery disease (CAD) experience poorer outcomes compared to men.
- A potential reason is delayed diagnosis due to insufficient screening and early detection in women.
- Exercise treadmill testing (ETT) is a primary screening tool for CAD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gender-based utilization rates of exercise treadmill testing (ETT).
- To determine if differences in ETT use contribute to delayed CAD detection in women.
Main Methods:
- Claims-based analysis of ETT utilization within an urban managed care population.
- Inclusion of 57,793 covered lives.
- Calculation of ETT utilization rates stratified by gender and age group.
Main Results:
- Significantly lower ETT utilization in women (25.0/1,000) compared to men (49.2/1,000).
- A consistent 2:1 ratio of ETT use favoring men was observed across various age strata.
- This disparity was evident even in older populations where CAD incidence in women is higher.
Conclusions:
- Significant gender disparities in ETT utilization exist, favoring men.
- Lower ETT use in women may lead to underdetection of CAD.
- Delayed diagnosis and treatment in women can result in less effective interventions and worse health outcomes.
