A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics has uncovered racial and ethnic disparities in the care of febrile infants following the implementation of a quality improvement (QI) intervention. Febrile infants, typically those aged 8 to 60 days with a fever, require careful medical attention due to their vulnerability to serious infections.
The cross-sectional study, led by Dr. Corrie E. McDaniel from the University of Washington School of Medicine, analyzed data from 16,961 infants across 99 hospitals. The research compared care metrics during a baseline period (November 2020 to October 2021) and an intervention period (November 2021 to October 2022).
While no significant differences were observed in primary measures at baseline, the intervention period revealed notable disparities. Non-Hispanic White infants were more likely to receive appropriate inflammatory marker tests and have documented follow-up from the emergency department.
Conversely, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino infants were less likely to have documented shared decision-making regarding cerebrospinal fluid collection. Hispanic/Latino infants also had lower rates of appropriate inflammatory marker testing and follow-up care.
These findings highlight the unintended consequences that can arise from standardized care protocols. Dr. McDaniel and colleagues emphasize the importance of incorporating equity-focused practices in future quality improvement initiatives. They recommend rigorous analysis of implementation results by race and ethnicity to address and mitigate disparities in healthcare delivery.
The study underscores the ongoing challenge of ensuring equitable healthcare for all infants, regardless of racial or ethnic background, even as efforts are made to improve overall care quality.
See “Disparities seen after introduction of quality improvement intervention for febrile infants” (August 19, 2024)
