Racial and ethnic disparities in the emergency department: a public health perspective

This article discusses racial and ethnic disparities from a public health perspective, specifically why they threaten to impede the efforts to improve the nation's health. The authors (1) provide background information, including a review of the Institute of Medicine report on health care disparities; (2) describe the racial and ethnic compositions of the individuals in the emergency department setting from the perspective of both the patient and health care provider; (3) discuss the most prevalent disease presentations to the emergency department that are likely to have racial and ethnic disparities; and (4) give conclusions and general recommendations on how to address disparities in emergency health care.