Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health Care Setting Choice for Adults Seeking Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Testing

Dados Bibliográficos

ID9098799
AutoresAlica Sparling (Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, autor correspondente), Morgan Walls (Division of Academic General Pediatrics, Deparment of Pediatrics), Carlene A Mayfield (0000-0003-1133-6530, Department of Community Health), Jennifer S Priem (0000-0002-5064-1178, Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, autor correspondente), Jason Durham (Information and Analytic Services, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC), Timothy Hetherington (0000-0001-8083-3544, Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, autor correspondente), Yhenneko J Taylor (0000-0002-5336-5666, Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, autor correspondente)
Ano2022
Volume60
Fascículo1
Páginas3-12
Data de publicação2022-01-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoMedical Care (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948
EditoraOvid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/mlr.0000000000001654
PMID34739414
OpenAlexW3210532477
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas3
Referências citadas37

OBJECTIVES: Equitable access to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing is important for reducing disparities. We sought to examine differences in the health care setting choice for SARS-CoV-2 testing by race/ethnicity and insurance. Options included traditional health care settings and mobile testing units (MTUs) targeting communities experiencing disproportionately high coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rates. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, observational study among patients in a large health system in the Southeastern US. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression analyses were employed to evaluate associations between patient characteristics and health care setting choice for SARS-CoV-2 testing, defined as: (1) outpatient (OP) care; (2) emergency department (ED); (3) urgent care (UC); and (4) MTUs. Patient characteristics included race/ethnicity, insurance, and the existence of an established relationship with the health care system. RESULTS: Our analytic sample included 105,386 adult patients tested for SARS-CoV-2. Overall, 55% of patients sought care at OP, 24% at ED, 12% at UC, and 9% at MTU. The sample was 58% White, 24% Black, 11% Hispanic, and 8% other race/ethnicity. Black patients had a higher likelihood of getting tested through the ED compared with White patients. Hispanic patients had the highest likelihood of testing at MTUs. Patients without a primary care provider had a higher relative risk of being tested through the ED and MTUs versus OP. CONCLUSIONS: Disparities by race/ethnicity were present in health care setting choice for SARS-CoV-2 testing. Health care systems may consider implementing mobile care delivery models to reach vulnerable populations. Our findings support the need for systemic change to increase primary care and health care access beyond short-term pandemic solutions

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Acute care · Coronavirus · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) · Health care · MEDLINE · Pandemic · Primary care · COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies · COVID-19 epidemiological studies · SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing