Racial/Ethnic Disparity in Rates and Outcomes of Total Joint Arthroplasty

Racial/ethnic disparity in total joint arthroplasty (TJA) has grown over the last two decades as studies have documented the widening gap between Blacks and Whites in TJA utilization rates despite the known benefits of TJA. Factors contributing to this disparity have been explored and include demographics, socioeconomic status, patient knowledge, patient preference, willingness to undergo TJA, patient expectation of post-arthroplasty outcome, religion/spirituality, and physician-patient interaction. Improvement in patient knowledge by effective physician-patient communication and other methods can possibly influence patient's perception of the procedure. Such interventions can provide patient-relevant data on benefits/risks and dispel myths related to benefits/risks of arthroplasty and possibly reduce this disparity. This review will summarize the literature on racial/ethnic disparity on TJA utilization and outcomes and the factors underlying this disparity.