Race, sex and age disparities in echocardiography among Medicare beneficiaries in an integrated healthcare system.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To identify potential race, sex and age disparities in performance of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) over several decades.

Methods

TTE reports from five academic and community sites within a single integrated healthcare system were linked to 100% Medicare fee-for-service claims from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2017. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to estimate adjusted rates of TTE utilisation after the index TTE according to baseline age, sex, race and comorbidities among individuals with ≥2 TTEs. Non-white race was defined as black, Asian, North American Native, Hispanic or other categories using Medicare-assigned race categories.

Results

A total of 15 870 individuals (50.1% female, mean 72.2±12.7 years) underwent a total of 63 535 TTEs (r

SUBMITTER: Hyland PM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9432347 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature