Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2025
Analysis of Congenital Heart Defects in Mouse Embryos Using Qualitative and Quantitative Histological Methods
Published on: March 10, 2020
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in U.S Children Undergoing Surgery for Congenital Heart Disease: A Narrative Literature
Faith J Ross1, Gregory Latham1, Lie Tjoeng2
1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Seattle Children's Hospital/University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Insights
Racial and ethnic disparities in congenital heart disease (CHD) outcomes are multifactorial. Addressing these requires understanding contributing factors and developing strategies to mitigate disparities in pediatric surgical care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Health Services Research
- Anesthesiology
Background:
- Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) significantly impacts pediatric morbidity and mortality.
- Racial and ethnic disparities in CHD outcomes are well-documented.
- The causes of these disparities are complex, involving biological, behavioral, environmental, sociocultural, and systemic factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent research on perioperative factors contributing to surgical outcome disparities in pediatric CHD.
- To examine potentially modifiable factors influencing these disparities.
- To suggest strategies for addressing disparities in CHD care.
Main Methods:
- Narrative review of recent scientific literature.
- Analysis of contributing factors to disparities in surgical outcomes for pediatric CHD patients.
- Examination of anesthesiologists' role in mitigating disparities.
Main Results:
- Disparities stem from differences in illness severity, detection rates, access to care, socioeconomic status, and hospital care.
- Perioperative factors significantly influence surgical outcomes in children with CHD.
- Anesthesiologists can play a crucial role in developing policies to reduce racial disparities.
Conclusions:
- Understanding multifactorial contributors to CHD outcome disparities is essential for developing targeted interventions.
- Systemic and perioperative strategies are needed to address racial and ethnic disparities in pediatric CHD care.
- Anesthesiologists are key stakeholders in creating equitable surgical care for children with CHD.
Abstract:
Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is a significant source of pediatric morbidity and mortality. As in other fields of medicine, studies have demonstrated racial and ethnic disparities in congenital heart disease outcomes. The cause of these outcome disparities is multifactorial, involving biological, behavioral, environmental, sociocultural, and systemic medical factors. Potential contributors include differences in preoperative illness severity secondary to coexisting medical conditions, differences in the rate of prenatal and early postnatal detection of CHD, and delayed access to care, as well as discrepancies in socioeconomic and insurance status, and systemic disparities in hospital care. Understanding the factors that contribute to these disparities is an essential step towards developing strategies to address them. As stewards of the perioperative surgical home, anesthesiologists have an important role in developing institutional policies that mitigate racial disparities. Here, we provide a thorough narrative review of recent research concerning perioperative factors contributing to surgical outcomes disparities for children of all ages with CHD, examine potentially modifiable contributing factors, discuss avenues for future research, and suggest strategies to address disparities both locally and nationally.
