National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 4 of 4 Research Studies DisplayedKim D, Swaminathan S, Lee Y
Racial and ethnic disparities in excess deaths after COVID-19 vaccine deployment among persons with kidney failure.
COVID-19 resulted in clear racial/ethnic disparities in excess deaths among persons with kidney failure. It is not clear whether or how these disparities changed throughout the pandemic, especially after the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines. The purpose of this study was to examine disparities in excess mortality for the Medicare population with kidney failure from March 2020, through December 2021. The study found that there were 686,719 patients with kidney failure in January 2020. Researchers reported an increase in excess deaths beginning March 1, 2020, with a peak in January 2021. From March 1, 2020, through January 30, 2021, and there were substantial disparities in excess deaths across racial/ethnic groups. The number of excess deaths was 5582, 4303, and 2679 for non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic patients, respectively. The percent excess deaths was 31.9% for Hispanic patients, 27.5% for non-Hispanic Black patients, and 16.4% for non-Hispanic White patients. After the wide distribution of COVID-19 vaccines since the end of January 2021, the lowest percent excess deaths was observed among Hispanic patients, followed by Black patients, and White patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS028285.
Citation: Kim D, Swaminathan S, Lee Y .
Racial and ethnic disparities in excess deaths after COVID-19 vaccine deployment among persons with kidney failure.
Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2023 Sep; 18(9):1207-09. doi: 10.2215/cjn.0000000000000226..
Keywords: COVID-19, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Vaccination, Kidney Disease and Health, Mortality
Nguyen KH, Thorsness R, Hayes S
Evaluation of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in initiation of kidney failure treatment during the first 4 months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on initiation of kidney failure treatment during the first 4 months of the pandemic with a focus on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities. The study population included 127,149 patients with incident kidney failure between January 2018 and June 2020. The mean age of patients was 62.8 years, and were 41.7% female, 25.9% non-Hispanic Black and 15.6% Hispanic/Latino. There were significant decreases in the proportion of patients with incident kidney failure receiving preemptive transplantation and initiating hemodialysis treatment with an arteriovenous fistula during the first 4 months of the pandemic compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. These decreases were most significant among non-Hispanic Black patients. There were also significant decreases in patients residing in counties in the highest quintile of COVID-19 mortality rates, but not for patients residing in other counties. Treatment initiation was approximately 30% lower than projected in April 2020.
AHRQ-funded; HS028285.
Citation: Nguyen KH, Thorsness R, Hayes S .
Evaluation of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in initiation of kidney failure treatment during the first 4 months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Oct;4(10):e2127369. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.27369..
Keywords: COVID-19, Kidney Disease and Health, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities
Kim D, Lee Y, Thorsness R
Racial and ethnic disparities in excess deaths among persons with kidney failure during the COVID-19 pandemic, March-July 2020.
This national study estimated excess deaths for the kidney failure population by race and ethnicity from March 1 through August 1, 2020. Findings showed that, among the US kidney failure population, the number of excess deaths was 16% higher than expected, similar to reports for the general population. However, results showed that the relative increase in deaths among Black and Hispanic patients was more than 4-fold higher than that observed among White patients. The magnitude of these disparities was larger than corresponding relative ratios reported among COVID-19–associated deaths in the general population.
AHRQ-funded; HS028285.
Citation: Kim D, Lee Y, Thorsness R .
Racial and ethnic disparities in excess deaths among persons with kidney failure during the COVID-19 pandemic, March-July 2020.
Am J Kidney Dis 2021 May;77(5):827-29. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2021.02.003..
Keywords: COVID-19, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Mortality, Kidney Disease and Health, Chronic Conditions, Social Determinants of Health
Crews DC, Purnell TS
COVID-19, racism, and racial disparities in kidney disease: galvanizing the kidney community response.
This article and associated podcast discussed racial disparities in kidney disease and COVID-19, including Geronimus’ weathering hypothesis, structural racism, and the role of nephrologists.
AHRQ-funded; HS024600.
Citation: Crews DC, Purnell TS .
COVID-19, racism, and racial disparities in kidney disease: galvanizing the kidney community response.
J Am Soc Nephrol 2020 Aug;31(8):1-3. doi: 10.1681/asn.2020060809..
Keywords: COVID-19, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Kidney Disease and Health