FROM THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY
Significant racial and health care disparities exist among hospitalized psoriasis patients, according to a recent study by Derek Y. Hsu of the Department of Dermatology at Northwestern University, Chicago, and his coauthors.
Researchers looked at a sample representative of 20% of all U.S. hospitalizations from 2002 to 2012, which showed racial and health care disparities for hospitalization of psoriasis cases. Hospitalization was associated with nonwhite race (Asian odds ratio, 2.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.55-2.78; black OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.43-1.89; and multiracial/other OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.13-2.11) and insurance status (Medicare OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.26-1.40; Medicaid OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.25-1.40; and uninsured OR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.64-2.30). Additionally, length of stay was significantly prolonged for psoriasis patients, the investigators found.
“Patients who were admitted for psoriasis were significantly more likely to be Hispanic, Asian, or multiracial/other compared with Caucasians, less likely to be female and more likely to have Medicare, Medicaid, or be uninsured compared with private insurance,” the authors said in the report. “These patients also had higher odds of multiple chronic conditions.”
The results indicate a need for improved access to regular dermatological care for all patients with psoriasis, the authors concluded.
Read the full article in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology .
