OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine health care disparities in evaluation and admission among underserved racial and ethnic minority groups presenting with cardiovascular complaints during the first postpartum year according… Click to show full abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine health care disparities in evaluation and admission among underserved racial and ethnic minority groups presenting with cardiovascular complaints during the first postpartum year according to patient and provider demographics. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective cohort study was performed of all postpartum patients who sought emergency care between 2/2012 and 10/2020 in a large urban care center in Southeastern Texas. Patient information was collected by ICD-10 codes and individual chart analysis. Race, ethnicity, and gender information was self-reported for both patients on hospital enrollment forms and ED providers on their employment records. Statistical analysis was performed with logistic regression and Pearson's Chi-squared test. RESULTS Of 47,976 patients who delivered during the study period, 41,237 (85.9%) were Black, Hispanic or Latina and 490 (1.1%) presented to the ED with cardiovascular complaints. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups; however, Hispanic or Latina patients were more likely to have had GDM during the index pregnancy (6.2% vs 18.3%). There was no difference in hospital admission between groups (17.9% Black vs 16.2% Latina or Hispanic patients). There was no difference in hospital admission rate by provider race or ethnicity overall (p =0.82). There was no difference in hospital admission rate when a patient was evaluated by a provider of a different race or ethnicity (RR= 1.08, CI 0.6-1.97). There was no difference in rate of admission according to self-reported gender of the provider (RR= 0.97, CI 0.66-1.44). CONCLUSION This study illustrates that disparities did not exist in the management of racial and ethnic minority groups who presented to the ED with cardiovascular complaints during the first postpartum year. Patient-provider discordance in race or gender was not a significant source of bias or discrimination during the evaluation and treatment of these patients.
               
Click one of the above tabs to view related content.