Racial Disparities in General Surgery Outcomes

Maveric K I L Abella; Anson Y Lee; Keinan Agonias; Piueti Maka; Hyeong Jun Ahn; Russell K Woo

doi:10.1016/j.jss.2023.03.010

Racial Disparities in General Surgery Outcomes

J Surg Res. 2023 Aug:288:261-268. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.03.010. Epub 2023 Apr 6.

Authors

Maveric K I L Abella¹, Anson Y Lee², Keinan Agonias², Piueti Maka², Hyeong Jun Ahn³, Russell K Woo⁴

Affiliations

¹ John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Hawaii. Electronic address: maveric@hawaii.edu.
² John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Hawaii.
³ Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii.
⁴ John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Hawaii; Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, Hawai'i Pacific Health, Honolulu, Hawaii.

PMID: 37030184
DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.03.010

Abstract

Introduction: While disparities in Black and Hispanic and Latino patients undergoing general surgeries are well described, most analyses leave out Asian, American Indian or Alaskan Native (AIAN), and native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander patients. This study identified general surgery outcomes for each racial group in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

Methods: National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was queried to identify all procedures conducted by a general surgeon from 2017 to 2020 (n = 2,664,197). Multivariable regression models were used to investigate the impact of race and ethnicity on 30-day mortality, readmission, reoperation, major and minor medical complications, and non-home discharge destinations. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated.

Results: Compared to non-Hispanic White patients, Black patients had higher odds of readmission and reoperation, and Hispanic and Latino patients had higher odds of major and minor complications. AIAN patients had higher odds of mortality (AOR: 1.003 (1.002-1.005), P < 0.001), major complication (AOR: 1.013 (1.006-1.020), P < 0.001), reoperation (AOR: 1.009, (1.005-1.013), P < 0.001), and non-home discharge destination (AOR: 1.006 (1.001-1.012), P = 0.025), while native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander patients had lower odds of readmission (AOR: 0.991 (0.983-0.999), P = 0.035) and non-home discharge destination (AOR: 0.983 (0.975-0.990), P < 0.001) compared to non-Hispanic White patients. Asian patients had lower odds of each adverse outcome.

Conclusions: Black, Hispanic and Latino, and AIAN patients are at higher odds for poor postoperative results than non-Hispanic White patients. AIANs had some of the highest odds of mortality, major complications, reoperation, and non-home discharge. Social health determinants and policy adjustments must be targeted to ensure optimal operative results for all patients.

Keywords: American Indian and Alaskan native; General surgery; National Surgical Quality Improvement Program; Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander; Postoperative complications; Racial disparities.

MeSH terms

Black or African American*
Ethnicity*
General Surgery
Healthcare Disparities
Hispanic or Latino
Humans
Postoperative Complications
Racial Groups
Surgical Procedures, Operative / mortality
Surgical Procedures, Operative / statistics & numerical data
United States
White