The effect of race and gender on invasive treatment for cardiovascular disease

The purpose of this study was to investigate racial and gender differences in the utilization of invasive procedures for cardiovascular treatment. Medical records data of 3015 patients were abstracted from a Medical System Database from 1999 to 2001. Logit models were used to estimate the adjusted odds in the utilization, referral, and acceptance of invasive procedures, while controllingfor confounders (age, race, sex, comorbidity, disease severity, payer type, marital status and family history) simultaneously. When considering utilization of invasive procedures, the adjusted odds were lower for African-Americans compared to Caucasians. There was a statistically significant difference (p < .05) in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) utilization between African Americans and Caucasians. African Americans were less likely than Caucasians to receive a CABG. Although not statistically significant, African-Americans were less likely than Caucasians to receive a cardiac catheterization and Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA). Findings failed to yield a statistical significance for gender disparities regarding invasive procedure utilizations.