Racial disparities in knee and hip total joint arthroplasty: an 18-year analysis of national Medicare data.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine whether racial disparities in usage and outcomes of total knee and total hip arthroplasty (TKA and THA) have declined over time.

Methods

We used data from the US Medicare Program (MedPAR data) for years 1991-2008 to identify four separate cohorts of patients (primary TKA, revision TKA, primary THA, revision THA). For each cohort, we calculated standardised arthroplasty usage rates for Caucasian and African-American Medicare beneficiaries for each calendar year, and examined changes in disparities over time. We examined unadjusted and adjusted outcomes (30-day readmission rate, discharge disposition etc.) for Caucasians and African-Americans, and whether disparities decreased over time.

Results

In 1991, the use of primary TKA was 36% lower for Afri

SUBMITTER: Singh JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4105323 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature