Healthcare Access and Utilization: Understanding Racial Disparities in Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Health Services Research
• Health Equity

Background:

• Previous studies indicate racial disparities in healthcare access for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT).
• Identifying the specific reasons for these disparities is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
• This study investigates the factors contributing to healthcare access and utilization differences among racial groups with PHPT.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze the reasons behind racial disparities in healthcare access and utilization among patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT).
• To provide data that can inform the development of targeted interventions to improve care for diverse patient populations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the All of Us database, including patients diagnosed with PHPT who completed the Healthcare Access and Utilization Survey.
• Collected and analyzed patient demographics and survey responses.
• Employed chi-square and analysis of variance tests to compare differences in healthcare access and utilization across racial groups.

Main Results:

• A significant percentage of patients (23.6%) delayed medical care, and a substantial portion (37.3%) could not afford it.
• Common reasons for delaying care included inability to take time off work and cost concerns; prescription medications were the most unaffordable item.
• Black patients faced greater affordability barriers for prescription medications, follow-up care, and specialist visits compared to White and Asian patients. Asian patients were more likely to delay care due to work constraints.

Conclusions:

• Patient race is associated with distinct reasons for delaying or being unable to afford care in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT).
• Targeted interventions are necessary to address the specific healthcare access and utilization challenges faced by different racial groups.
• Improving patient-physician concordance may be a valuable strategy, as Asian and Black patients reported its importance more frequently than White patients.