Differences in outcome between black and white elderly hip fracture patients

Because blacks make up a small proportion of the hip fracture population, little is known about how blacks' experience following hip fracture compares to that of whites. This study, a retrospective review of the medical records of 119 community residing subjects, 60 years of age and older, 37% of whom were black, admitted with a diagnosis of hip fracture to a large urban teaching hospital, investigated differences between black and white patients in factors associated with outcome following hip fracture and outcomes at time of hospital discharge. Blacks were significantly more likely than whites to exhibit a high total number of diagnoses, urinary incontinence following surgery, low admission hemoglobins and mental impairment. Blacks experienced significantly longer hospitalizations than whites, were significantly more likely to be nonambulatory at discharge and showed different patterns of discharge destination. Multiple regression and logistic regression indicated that the greater amount of illness of blacks is a consistent significant predictor of these differences in outcomes, but that race, delays to surgery and non-surgical treatment also make independent significant contributions. These findings indicate the importance of planning for the in-hospital care of black hip fracture patients, and the examination of the financial consequences of DRG's for hospitals serving black or poor populations.