A recent study reveals alarming disparities in access to critical stroke treatments among different racial and ethnic groups in the United States. The research, published in the October 16, 2024, online issue of Neurology, highlights how social factors such as race, neighborhood, and insurance status significantly influence whether a stroke patient receives potentially life-saving care.
The study, conducted by Dr. Chathurika Samudani Dhanasekara and colleagues at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, analyzed data from 139,852 stroke patients. They found that Black patients were 20% less likely to receive clot-busting drugs and 25% less likely to undergo thrombectomy compared to white patients. Hispanic patients also faced disparities, being 6% less likely to receive clot-busting drugs and 8% less likely to have a thrombectomy than their white counterparts.
Socioeconomic factors played a crucial role in treatment access. Patients from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, as measured by the Social Vulnerability Index, were 7% less likely to receive clot-busting drugs and 26% less likely to undergo thrombectomy compared to those from the least disadvantaged areas.
Insurance coverage emerged as another critical factor. Uninsured individuals were 12% less likely to receive clot-busting drugs than those with private insurance, further exacerbating the treatment gap.
Dr. Dhanasekara emphasized that these disparities continue to drive inequalities in stroke care, calling for more studies to understand the specific causes and improve access to care for all individuals, regardless of their background.
While the study’s focus on Texas, with its unique demographic characteristics, may limit its generalizability, it nonetheless underscores the urgent need to address health care disparities in stroke treatment across the nation.
See “Are health care disparities tied to stroke treatments?” (October 17, 2024)
