Racial Differences in Urinary Catheter Use Among Female Nursing Home Residents

To assess racial differences in prevalence of indwelling urinary catheterization and intermittent catheterization among female NH residents in the United States (US).

We performed a cross-sectional analysis using the 2019 Minimum Data Set 3.0 and developed a multivariable logistic regression model to examine the association between catheter use and race. Moderation analyses were performed to clarify significant associations.

Our study cohort was composed of 597,966 women, who were predominantly of White race with a median age of 80 years. Eight percent (n=47,799) of female residents had indwelling catheters, and 0.5% (n=2,876) used intermittent catheterization. Black residents had a 7% lower odds of having an indwelling catheter (aOR 0.93, 95% CI 0.90-0.96), and a 38% lower odds of utilizing intermittent catheterization (aOR 0.62, 95% CI 0.54-0.71) compared to White residents when controlling for common factors associated with catheter use. In moderation analyses, Black residents with age under 80 years and BMI of 35 kg/m² or greater were less likely to have an indwelling catheter than age- and BMI-matched White residents.

Racial differences in both indwelling and intermittent catheterization prevalence exist in female NH residents. These disparities should be further clarified to reduce bias in NH care.