Racial and ethnic disparities in the use of cardiovascular procedures: associations with type of health insurance.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined whether disparities in the use of cardiovascular procedures exist among African Americans, Latinos, and Asians relative to White patients, within health insurance categories.


METHODS
Hospital discharge records (n = 104,952) of Los Angeles Country, California, residents with possible coronary artery disease were analyzed.


RESULTS
After adjustment for confounders, lower odds of procedure use were found for African American and Latino patients for most types of insurance. Asians and Pacific Islanders had odds of procedure use similar to those of White patients. Disparities were absent among the privately insured.


CONCLUSIONS
Racial and ethnic disparities in procedure rates were evident in all types of insurance except private insurance.
Carlisle
D M
DM
Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, UCLA School of Medicine 90095-1736, USA.
Leake
B D
BD
Shapiro
M F
MF
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data