The researchers found that overall surgical hospitalization increased 30 percent from 2000 to 2009. The researchers also examined data for racial and ethnic differences, and found that in 2009 white, non-Hispanic patients had a higher rate of surgical admissions than black, non-Hispanics and Hispanics. These differences persisted across time.
The study authors gave possible causes for these differences as:
• Disparity in clinical decision making among spine care providers in offering surgical care to minority populations;
• Access to care issues from financial, educational and geographical barriers;
• Different attitudes toward surgical care from the racial and ethnic groups.
More Articles on Spine Surgery:
Cost-Effective Spine Care: How to Speak the Decision-Maker’s Language From Dr. David Polly
20 Spine & Orthopedic Practices That Grew in 2013
18 Recent Spine Surgery Studies and Findings
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