Blacks, Hispanics Hospitalized More Often for Diabetes, Heart Disease

TUESDAY, Aug. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Black and Hispanics are hospitalized more often in the United States than non-Hispanic whites for diabetes and other health problems, researchers report.

That''s a costly trend, since many of these conditions can be prevented or controlled through good quality outpatient care, concludes a report recently released by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The findings are based on 2003 statistics.

Compared to non-Hispanic whites:

• Blacks were nearly five times more likely and Hispanics were 3.6 times more likely to be hospitalized for uncontrolled diabetes.
• Blacks were 3.5 times more likely and Hispanics were 2.9 times more likely to be hospitalized for diabetes-related amputation of a foot or a leg.
• Blacks were nearly five times more likely and Hispanics were 2.4 times more likely to be hospitalized for high blood pressure.
• Blacks were 2.5 times more likely and Hispanics were 1.7 times more likely to be hospitalized for congestive heart failure.
• Blacks had the highest hospitalization rates for adult and childhood asthma, perforated appendix, and dehydration. Blacks also had the highest rate of low-weight infant births.
• Hispanics had the highest hospitalization rates for asthma in elderly people, pediatric gastroenteritis, and urinary tract infection.

More information

The U.S. Office of Minority Health has more about minority health disparities.

-- Robert Preidt

SOURCE: U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, news release, Aug. 1, 2006

Last Updated: Aug. 15, 2006