Racial and ethnic disparities in the emergency department: a public health perspective.
This article discusses racial and ethnic disparities from a public health perspective, specifically why they threaten to impede the efforts to improve the nation's health. The authors (1) provide background information, including a review of the Institute of Medicine report on health care disparities; (2) describe the racial and ethnic compositions of the individuals in the emergency department setting from the perspective of both the patient and health care provider; (3) discuss the most prevalent disease presentations to the emergency department that are likely to have racial and ethnic disparities; and (4) give conclusions and general recommendations on how to address disparities in emergency health care.
Heron
Sheryl L
SL
Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA. sheron@emory.edu
Stettner
Edward
E
Haley
Leon L
LL
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011287:Prejudice; D011634:Public Health; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012923:Social Class; D014481:United States