Current status and trends in racial and ethnic disparities in health care among women

This presentation highlights findings from an analysis of the 2009 National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) data relevant for assessing current status & trends in disparities among racial and ethnic groups in quality of women's health care in the U.S.

Findings come from an expanded analysis of the 2009 NHDR data, which compile national estimates on 211 measures of health care quality from more than 35, mostly federal, data sources. Measures included in analyses cover health care effectiveness (e.g. breast cancer treatment), patient safety, timeliness, patient-centeredness, and access. Cross stratified estimates for women in White, Black, Asian, NHOPI, AI/AN, multiple race, and Hispanic women were used (where data available). Differences were tested for statistical significance using two-tailed test, and a minimum difference of 10 percent. For the time-trend analysis (3 year period), differences between earliest year of data and most recent year of data were tested using two-tailed test, and a statistically significant change over time was reported if a 1 percent change per year was observed.

This analysis outlines the many particular instances and trends in disparities across health care quality areas, but the most prominent conclusion relates to access to health care; that Black and Hispanic women experienced more restricted access to health care compared with White women. This is significant since poor access to health care contributes to poorer quality of health care overall. The specific findings from this analysis have implications for targeting quality improvement programs and programs that aim to reduce disparities among women.