Pulmonary rehabilitation and preventive vaccines are evidence-based interventions that help reduce COPD morbidity and mortality. Despite their proven efficacy, usage of both remains low among Black populations in the United States.
That’s according to the paper, “B16-07 Unequal Recovery: Racial Disparities in Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Preventive COPD Care Across the U.S.,” published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
To examine treatment patterns among Black and white adults with COPD, researchers identified adults 18 years and older from the TriNetX U.S. Collaborative Network, which includes 17 institutions across the country.
The patients were divided by race and matched for age, sex, comorbidities, smoking status, oxygen use and other related data. Outcomes reported in the study included acute exacerbation of COPD, pulmonary rehabilitation, readmission and/or ICU encounters, influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations and inhaler therapy.
Researchers found that pulmonary rehabilitation was significantly lower among Black patients compared with white patients. Black patients also had a slightly higher risk of acute exacerbations of COPD (26.3% compared to 25.5%) and ICU admissions (20.4% compared to 19.3%). Rates of hospitalizations, systemic steroid exposure and influenza or pneumonia diagnoses were similar between the two groups.
Preventive care, on the other hand, was unequal, with vaccination rates lower in Black patients compared to white patients (15% versus 17.5%). Inhaler usage patterns were similar between groups, as were prescriptions.
Ultimately, while the results in some areas were similar, the researchers noted there were enough disparities among certain interventions to warrant additional investigation and further action within the medical community.
“Targeted outreach and equitable referral strategies are needed to improve preventive and rehabilitative access in this population,” the researchers wrote.
