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Understanding Health Care Disparities Based on Medicare Use for Inflammatory and Infectious Eye Diseases
Krati Chauhan1, James T Rosenbaum2
1The University of Vermont-Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, USA.
Translational Vision Science & Technology
|August 22, 2024
Summary
Gender and race impact eye care access for older adults with inflammatory and infectious eye diseases. Females and Asian individuals show higher utilization, while African Americans exhibit lower use, highlighting existing health disparities.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Health Disparities Research
Background:
- Inflammatory and infectious eye diseases significantly contribute to visual impairment in individuals over 65.
- Existing health care disparities in general eye care are well-documented.
- National data on disparities in eye care utilization for specific inflammatory and infectious eye conditions in older adults is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of gender and race on the utilization of eye care services.
- To analyze health disparities in eye care for patients aged 65 and older diagnosed with inflammatory and infectious eye diseases.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Medicare data from 2014 to 2018 for analysis.
- Examined eye care service utilization patterns based on gender and race.
- Leveraged Medicare's representative sample of the U.S. population aged 65 and older.
Main Results:
- Female patients demonstrated higher utilization of eye care services across all racial groups.
- Racial analysis revealed lower utilization among African Americans compared to White individuals.
- Individuals of Asian descent reported the highest utilization, followed by Hispanic individuals.
Conclusions:
- Significant health care disparities in eye care utilization exist for older adults with inflammatory and infectious eye diseases.
- Addressing these disparities is crucial for ensuring equitable eye care delivery.
- Further research is necessary to understand and mitigate these identified disparities.
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