Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Objective
Variation in bronchiolitis management by race and ethnicity within emergency departments (EDs) has been described in single-center and prospective studies, but large-scale assessments across EDs and inpatient settings are lacking. Our objective is to describe the association between race and ethnicity and bronchiolitis management across 37 U.S. freestanding children's hospitals from 2015 to 2018.Methods
Using the Pediatric Health Information System, we analyzed ED and inpatient visits from November 2015 to November 2018 of children with bronchiolitis 3 to 24 months old. Rates of use for specific diagnostic tests and therapeutic measures were compared across the following race/ethnicity categories: 1) non-Hispanic White (NHW), 2) non-Hispanic Black (NHB), 3) Hispanic, and 4) other. The subanalyses of ED patients only and children < 1 year old were performed. Mixed-effect logistic regression was performed to compare the adjusted odds of receiving specific test/treatment using NHW children as the reference group.Results
A total of 134,487 patients met inclusion criteria (59% male, 28% NHB, 26% Hispanic). Adjusted analysis showed that NHB children had higher odds of receiving medication associated with asthma (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.22 to 1.32) and lower odds of receiving diagnostic tests (blood cultures, complete blood counts, viral testing, chest x-rays; OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.75 to 0.81) and antibiotics (OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.52 to 0.64) than NHW children. Hispanic children had lower odds of receiving diagnostic testing (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.90 to 0.98), asthma-associated medication (OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.88 to 0.96), and antibiotics (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.66 to 0.82) compared to NHW children.Conclusion
NHB children more often receive corticosteroid and bronchodilator therapies; NHW children more often receive antibiotics and chest radiography. Given that current guidelines generally recommend supportive care with limited diagnostic testing and medical intervention, these findings among NHB and NHW children represent differing patterns of overtreatment. The underlying causes of these patterns require further investigation.
SUBMITTER: Honcoop AC
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9286876 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Honcoop Aubree C AC Poitevien Patricia P Kerns Ellen E Alverson Brian B McCulloh Russell J RJ
Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine 20210611 9
<h4>Objective</h4>Variation in bronchiolitis management by race and ethnicity within emergency departments (EDs) has been described in single-center and prospective studies, but large-scale assessments across EDs and inpatient settings are lacking. Our objective is to describe the association between race and ethnicity and bronchiolitis management across 37 U.S. freestanding children's hospitals from 2015 to 2018.<h4>Methods</h4>Using the Pediatric Health Information System, we analyzed ED and i ...[more]