Asthmatic children receive equal quality of care regardless of race or ethnicity

May 3 2004

“When brought into the hospital setting, we found that black children experienced the same quality of care and outcomes as white children.” said Susan Fisher-Owens, MD, MPH, lead researcher at Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC). “Previous studies show that black children with asthma fare worse than white children in most outpatient settings, but from what we found, disparities are diminished once patients get within the walls of a children’s hospital.”

Researchers analyzed data from the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) of 17,406 patients between 2-21 years of age that were admitted to an academic pediatric hospital for the treatment of asthma. While there were some differences related to race, such as point of admission to the hospital and insurance provider, the data showed that once a child was admitted into a facility, there were no substantial clinical differences in the type or level of care received by black and white patients. Researchers examined patients with asthma because it is a leading cause of chronic illness in children and contributes to a large number of hospitalizations.

“This study helps us narrow in on the factors that influence health disparities,” said Dr. Fisher-Owens. “If we can isolate the causes of these differences, it will help improve our understanding of health care disparities according to race.”

Dr. Fisher-Owens said the results could be a result of a controlled environment and standardized treatment protocols for all patients.

Children's National Medical Center, located in Washington, D.C., is a leader in the development of innovative new treatments for childhood illness and injury. Among the top pediatric hospitals in America, CNMC has been serving the nation's children for over 130 years. Visit our web site at http://www.dcchildrens.com.