Racial Differences in Chronic Conditions and Sociodemographic Characteristics Among High-Utilizing Veterans.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

African-Americans are disproportionally represented among high-risk, high-utilizing patients. To inform program development for this vulnerable population, the current study describes racial variation in chronic conditions and sociodemographic characteristics among high-utilizing patients in the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (VA).

Methods

We identified the 5 % most costly Veterans who used inpatient or outpatient care at the VA during fiscal year 2010 (N = 237,691) based on costs of inpatient and outpatient care, pharmacy services, and VA-sponsored contract care. Patient costs and characteristics were abstracted from VA outpatient and inpatient data files. Racial differences in sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, marital support, homelessness, and health

SUBMITTER: Breland JY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6200449 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature