Hispanic patients with respiratory failure are five times more likely to receive deep sedation while on ventilators compared to non-Hispanic patients, a new study reveals. This finding sheds light on potential factors contributing to worse outcomes for Hispanic individuals in critical care settings.
The research, published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, analyzed data from 505 patients with moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) across 48 U.S. hospitals. Despite guidelines recommending light sedation, over 90% of patients experienced deep sedation within the first five days on a ventilator.
Mari Armstrong-Hough, assistant professor at New York University School of Global Public Health and co-principal investigator, stated, “We’ve known for more than a decade that Hispanic individuals are more likely to die when they experience respiratory failure compared to non-Hispanic individuals. Until now, we haven’t known why that might be.”
The study suggests several factors potentially contributing to this disparity, including language barriers, cultural differences, implicit bias in clinical decision-making, and quality differences among hospitals serving Hispanic patients.
Thomas Valley, associate professor at the University of Michigan and co-principal investigator, emphasized the need for action: “This is an opportunity to improve sedation for everyone, but there is clearly a greater need to improve sedation for Hispanic patients because of what we know about disparities in their outcomes.”
Researchers stress the importance of addressing these disparities to improve care delivery and outcomes for Hispanic patients in intensive care units.
See “Hispanic patients on ventilators are more likely to be heavily sedated” (February 15, 2024)
