Racial/Ethnic Variation in Asthma Status and Management Practices Among Children in Managed Medicaid

• DOI: 10.1542/peds.109.5.857
• Publication Date: 2004-08-14T00:17:55Z
• Authors: Tracy A. Lieu; Paula Lozano; Jonathan A. Finke...; Felicia W. Chi; Nancy G. Jensvold; Angela M. Capra; Charles P. Quesen...; Joe V. Selby; Harold J. Farber
• Keywords: Male; Risk; Medicaid; Health Status; Managed Care Programs; Hispanic or Latino; Asthma; White People; 3. Good health; Black or African American; Hospitalization; 03 medical and health sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; 0302 clinical medicine; Confidence Intervals; Ethnicity; Odds Ratio; Humans; Female; Child; Poverty; Quality Indicators, Health Care; Quality of Health Care

Objective. Racial/ethnic disparities in hospitalization rates among children with asthma have been documented but are not well-understood. Medicaid programs, which serve many minority children, markedly increased their use of managed care recent years. It is unknown whether racial/ethnic health or other processes exist populations. This study Medicaid-insured 5 organizations aimed to 1) compare parent-reported status and black, Latino, white 2) test the hypothesis that variations after adjusting for socioeconomic status. Methods. cross-sectional collected data via telephone interviews parents computerized records California, Washington, Massachusetts. The American Academy Pediatrics (AAP) Children’s Health Survey Asthma was used measure We multivariate models evaluate associations between race/ethnicity while controlling sociodemographic variables. evaluated selected demographic variables Results. response rate 63%. Of 1658 respondent group, 38% were 19% 31% white. Black had worse than on basis AAP physical emotional scores, symptom-days, school days missed past 2 weeks. Latino equivalent scores more children. On score, black–white disparity persisted After status, black less likely be using inhaled antiinflammatory medication (relative risk blacks: 0.69; relative Latinos: 0.58). They home nebulizers. Other care, including ratings providers written management plans, preventive visits specialists, having no pets smokers at home, equal better compared Conclusions. medications within same Most seemed minorities populations we studied. Increasing a natural focus reducing racial asthma.