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Differences in follow-up visits between African American and white Medicaid children hospitalized with asthma
1Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Insights
African American children with asthma experience fewer primary care visits than white children, indicating a racial disparity in healthcare access. This highlights a critical need for targeted interventions to improve asthma care for vulnerable populations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Healthcare
- Health Disparities
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Asthma hospitalizations and mortality are increasing, particularly affecting African American children.
- Concerns exist regarding the quality of primary care for African American children with asthma.
- Existing research suggests potential inadequacies in primary care contribute to adverse asthma outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate racial disparities in primary care access for children hospitalized with asthma.
- To compare post-hospitalization healthcare utilization between African American and white children with asthma.
- To identify specific areas for intervention to address unequal asthma care.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of medical claims data for 500 children enrolled in Massachusetts Medicaid.
- Study focused on children hospitalized for asthma, examining the six months post-discharge.
- Comparison of primary care visits and emergency service utilization based on race.
Main Results:
- African American children had significantly fewer primary care visits compared to white children.
- This disparity persisted even after adjusting for potential confounding factors.
- No significant difference in emergency service utilization was observed between racial groups.
Conclusions:
- A significant racial disparity in primary care access exists for children with asthma.
- Interventions are needed to improve access to and quality of care for African American children with asthma.
- Targeted strategies are crucial for this high-risk, disproportionately affected population.
Abstract:
Asthma-related hospitalizations and mortality have risen at alarming rates in the past two decades, taking a disproportionate toll on African American children. Adverse asthma outcomes have been attributed to inadequacies in primary care, raising concerns about the quality of primary care delivered to African American children. To assess differences in care between African American and white children, the authors identified 500 children enrolled in Massachusetts Medicaid and hospitalized for asthma, and reviewed their medical claims data for the six-month period after hospitalization. It was found that African American children had significantly fewer primary care visits than their white counterparts, even after adjusting for potential confounding variables. In contrast, emergency service utilization did not differ by race. The authors conclude that racial disparity exists in primary care access among children with asthma. Interventions should be designed to target poor African American children who suffer disproportionately from this life-threatening yet treatable disease.