Disparity in health services and outcomes for persons with hip fracture and lower extremity joint replacement.
OBJECTIVE
Examine disparity in health services and outcomes for adults with a hip fracture or lower extremity joint replacement.


METHODS
This study examined 28,522 patient records including 12,328 (mean age 76.6 years) with hip fracture and 16,194 (mean age 71.8 years) with joint replacement.


RESULTS
Non-Hispanic white and black patients were significantly (P < 0.05) more likely to be discharged home alone and responsible for their own care than were Asian or Hispanic patients. Sixty-four percent of Hispanic patients received inpatient rehabilitation after hip fracture and 36% after hip or knee arthroplasty. In contrast, 58% of non-Hispanic white persons, 67% of black persons, and 56% of Asian persons received inpatient medical rehabilitation after hip or knee joint replacement.


CONCLUSIONS
Disparity in outcomes appeared to be related to family structure and social support.
Ottenbacher
Kenneth J
KJ
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555-1137, USA. kottenba@utmb.edu
Smith
Pamela M
PM
Illig
Sandra B
SB
Linn
Richard T
RT
Gonzales
Vera A
VA
Ostir
Glenn V
GV
Granger
Carl V
CV
D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000191:economics / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000191:economics / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012042:Registries; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014481:United States