Compared to white patients, minority patients have lower rates of total knee replacement (TKR), but higher rates of adverse health outcomes associated with this procedure, according to a study in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
The study analyzed data on 547,380 patients from 8 racially diverse states who underwent TKR from 2001 to 2008. Race was categorized as white, black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, and mixed race.
In comparison to the white patients, minorities had lower rates of TKR. Minorities also were less likely to undergo TKR in a high-volume hospital. In addition, the risk for in-hospital mortality and the rate of complications following TKR were significantly higher for patients who were black, Native American, or mixed race.