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Racial/ethnic disparities in symptom severity among children hospitalized with asthma

Yu Bai1, Marianne M Hillemeier, Eugene J Lengerich

  • 1Department of Health Policy and Administration, Pennsylvania State University, 116 Henderson, University Park, PA 16802, USA. yzb103@psu.edu

Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
|March 6, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Black children with asthma are more likely to experience severe symptoms upon hospital admission compared to White children. This disparity highlights potential inequities in asthma care for minority children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Public Health
  • Health Disparities

Background:

  • Asthma is a prevalent chronic illness in U.S. children, leading to significant hospitalizations and disability.
  • Understanding disparities in asthma presentation is crucial for addressing pediatric health inequities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine racial and ethnic disparities in asthma symptomatology at hospital admission among children in Pennsylvania.
  • To identify factors associated with severe asthma symptoms in pediatric hospitalizations.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study utilizing 2001 Pennsylvania hospitalization data.
  • Analysis focused on comparing asthma symptom severity at admission among Black, Hispanic, and White children.
  • Statistical adjustments were made for age, sex, insurance status, income, and residence (rural/urban).

Main Results:

  • Black children were more than twice as likely as White children to present with severe asthma symptoms.
  • Severe asthma symptoms at admission were also independently associated with Medicaid coverage, older age, and urban residence.

Conclusions:

  • Significant racial disparities exist in pediatric asthma severity at hospital admission.
  • Factors such as insurance status and geographic location may contribute to these disparities.
  • Further research is needed to explore the link between ambulatory care access and symptom severity in pediatric asthma.

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