title: Heart Failure Hospitalization by Race/Ethnicity, Gender and Age in California: Implications for Prevention.
abstract: We examined variation in rates of hospitalization, risk factors, and costs by race/ethnicity, gender and age among heart failure (HF) patients.
  
  
  
  We analyzed California hospital discharge data for patients in 2007 (n=58,544) and 2010 (n=57,219) with a primary diagnosis of HF (ICD-9 codes: 402, 404, 428). HF cases included African Americans (Blacks; 14%), Hispanic/Latinos (21%), and non-Hispanic Whites (65%). Age-adjusted prevalence rates per 100,000 US population were computed per CDC methodology.
  
  
  
  Four major trends emerged: 1) Overall HF rates declined by 7.7% from 284.7 in 2007 to 262.8 in 2010; despite the decline, the rates for males and Blacks remained higher compared with others in both years; 2) while rates for Blacks (aged ≤54) were 6 times higher compared with same age Whites, rates for Hispanics were higher than Whites in the middle age category; 3) risk factors for HF included hypertension, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, atrial fibrillation, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and 4) submitted hospitalization costs were higher for males, Blacks, and younger patients compared with other groups.
  
  
  
  Health inequality in HF persists as hospitalization rates for Blacks remain higher compared with Whites and Hispanics. These findings reinforce the need to determine whether increased access to providers, or implementing proven hypertension and diabetes preventive programs among minorities might reduce subsequent hospitalization for HF in these populations.
authors.affiliation: Center for Prevention Research, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: Baqar A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Husaini
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.affiliation: David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Keith C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Norris
authors.affiliation: Center for Prevention Research, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: Van
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cain
authors.affiliation: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bazargan
authors.affiliation: University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA.
authors.forename: Majaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moonis
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation; D002140:California; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000208:ethnology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000208:ethnology*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D044469:Racial Groups; D012307:Risk Factors; D044465:White People
keywords: Age; Ethnicity; Gender; Heart Failure; Hospital Costs