A new study published in Neurology has uncovered significant disparities in post-acute stroke care utilization among different racial, ethnic, and regional groups in the United States. The research, conducted by Man et al., analyzed data from over 1 million patients admitted for ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage between 2017 and 2018.
The study found that insurance status played a crucial role in determining access to post-acute care services. Patients with private insurance had the lowest odds of being discharged to a facility or receiving home health care compared to uninsured patients. Hispanic patients with Medicare/Medicaid or self-pay had lower odds of facility discharge compared to White patients. Uninsured Hispanic patients also had lower odds of receiving home health care.
Regional disparities were also evident, with facility discharge rates highest in the East-North central region (39.2%) and lowest in the Pacific region (31.2%). Home health care discharge rates varied widely, from 20.2% in New England to 10.3% in the West-North central region.
The researchers concluded that these insurance-dependent variations in post-acute service utilization after stroke highlight significant racial, ethnic, and regional disparities in care access. They emphasized the need for further studies to improve post-acute service access for uninsured patients.
These findings underscore the importance of addressing systemic inequalities in the healthcare system to ensure all stroke patients, regardless of race, ethnicity, or geographic location, have equal access to essential post-acute care services that are critical for recovery and long-term outcomes.
