Potential disparities in trauma: the undocumented Latino immigrant

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Health Disparities Research
• Immigration Health

Background:

• Quality of trauma care for undocumented immigrants is understudied.
• Documentation status may contribute to health disparities.
• Hypothesized increased mortality risk for undocumented Latino immigrants post-trauma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between undocumented immigration status and in-hospital mortality after trauma among Latino patients.
• To identify risk factors for mortality in Latino trauma patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records for Latino trauma patients (2007-2012).
• Defined undocumented status by lack of social security number and insurance type (county or self-pay).
• Utilized regression models to assess in-hospital mortality risk.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in in-hospital mortality between documented and undocumented Latino trauma patients (3.4% vs. 3.9%, P=0.61).
• Documentation status was not associated with increased mortality risk (OR=1.12; P=0.81).
• Independent predictors of mortality included age, injury severity, penetrating mechanism, and lack of private insurance.

Conclusions:

• Undocumented Latino immigrants do not have a higher risk of in-hospital mortality after trauma.
• Lack of insurance, not immigration status, is linked to increased mortality risk.
• No disparities in trauma mortality were found based on immigration status, but insurance status disparities persist.