Accounting for apparent "reverse" racial disparities in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-based medical care: influence of out-of-VA care.
Conclusions regarding racial differences in care following a newly elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may differ depending on whether follow-up care outside the VA is considered. Consecutive Philadelphia, Pa, VA patients with newly elevated PSA tests (n = 183) were interviewed 1 year after baseline. Among exclusive VA users, Blacks had higher rates of urology referrals and prostate biopsies compared with Whites. However, these racial differences were attenuated when care obtained outside the VA also was considered.
Gurmankin
Andrea D
AD
Philadelphia/Pittsburgh VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, USA. adg11@cornell.edu
Polsky
Daniel
D
Volpp
Kevin G
KG
D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D014481:United States; D014572:Urology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001741:Black or African American
D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen