Blacks or African Americans

In the 2003 NHDR, blacks had poorer quality of care than whites for about 60% of quality measures, including not receiving prenatal care and recommended childhood and adult immunizations. In the 2003 NHDR, blacks had worse access to care than whites for about 40% of access measures, including lacking health insurance or a source of ongoing health care, having problems getting referral to a specialist, and rating their health care poorly.

Figure 4.1. Blacks compared with whites in 2000 and 2001 on measures of quality of care (top) and access to care (bottom)

Quality

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Access

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Better = Blacks receive better quality of care or have better access to care than whites.

Same = Blacks and whites receive about the same quality of care or access to care.

Worse = Blacks receive poorer quality of care or have worse access to care than whites.

Source: SEER, USRDS, MEPS, CDC AIDS Surveillance System, NVSS-N, NIS, NHIS, NHDS, 2000-2001.

• Of the 38 measures of quality with comparable data for 2000 and 2001, blacks received poorer quality of care than whites for about two-thirds of measures in both 2000 and 2001 (Figure 4.1, top).
• Between 2000 and 2001, only 1 of these 38 measures demonstrated significant improvement among blacks while 2 demonstrated significant deterioration: black children 19-35 months who received 1 dose of varicella vaccine improved while black children 19-35 months who received 3 doses of H. influenzae type B or 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine fell.
• Of the 31 measures of access with comparable data for 2000 and 2001, blacks had worse access to care than whites for about 40% of measures in both 2000 and 2001 (Figure 4.1, bottom).
• Between 2000 and 2001, 2 of these 31 measures demonstrated significant improvement among blacks while none deteriorated: blacks who had a source of ongoing care or who were uninsured for a full year both improved between 2000 and 2001.

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