Identifying racial disparities in care for children with spastic cerebral palsy: A single center study
Alecia K Daunter1, Jessica Pruente1, Angeline Bowman1
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Insights
This study found no significant racial disparities in treatment for spastic cerebral palsy (CP) among African American and Caucasian children. Further research is needed to ensure equitable care for all pediatric patients with disabilities.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Health Equity Research
- Cerebral Palsy Studies
Background:
- Racial and ethnic disparities are known to affect cerebral palsy (CP) prevalence and severity.
- Limited research exists on how these disparities impact treatment access and outcomes for CP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential racial disparities in the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy (CP).
- To compare treatment utilization between African American (AA) and Caucasian (C) pediatric patients with spastic CP.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study utilizing an institutional database of pediatric outpatient encounters.
- Analysis of treatments received by patients diagnosed with spastic CP.
- Comparison of treatment proportions between AA and C patients.
Main Results:
- A total of 3,686 children with spastic CP were analyzed over a 21-year period.
- No statistically significant difference was observed in the proportion of treatments received between AA and C patients.
Conclusions:
- The study sample showed no significant evidence of racial disparity in treatment for spastic CP.
- Limitations exist, and further research is required to confirm equitable care for pediatric patients with disabilities.
- Clinicians should monitor practices for potential bias in care access.
Purpose:
Existing evidence identifies racial and ethnic disparities impacting the prevalence and severity of cerebral palsy (CP). There is a paucity of literature examining the impact on associated treatment.
Methods:
In this retrospective cohort study, an institutional database search identified outpatient encounters for pediatric patients with spastic CP. Additional filters were used to determine treatments received. For each treatment, the proportion of African American (AA) patients receiving treatment was compared to the proportion of Caucasian (C) patients receiving the same treatment.
Results:
3,686 children with spastic CP were seen in outpatient clinics associated with an academic tertiary hospital over a 21-year period. There was no significant difference between the proportion of any treatment compared to the entire sample for AA or C patients.
Conclusion:
In this sample, there was no significant evidence of a racial disparity for AA patients receiving treatments for spasticity. This data is limited by several factors. Further research is needed to determine whether pediatric patients with disabilities are receiving equitable care. Clinicians should consider systematically monitoring their practices to identify areas of bias or inequity in accessing care.
