October 19, 2022
Inequities and SDOH
  • A study in Circulation: Heart Failure found that Black patients were less likely to receive heart failure care, even when they had access, adequate insurance coverage, and an expressed desire to get treatment. Researchers studied 377 patients receiving treatment for heart failure at 21 medical centers, of whom 100 were Black and the remaining patients (277) were white. Just 11 (or 11 percent) of Black patients received a heart transplant or ventricular assist device compared to 62 (or 22 percent) of white patients. The researchers concluded that, “This residual inequity may be a consequence of structural racism and discrimination or provider bias impacting decision-making.” (Study here)