Study Describes Two-decade Trend of Racial Disparities in Appendectomy Complications, Economic Burden to Us Health Care System

In an era of renewed attention to systematic inequalities in the United States, a study has outlined an 18-year pattern of higher risk of surgical complications in Black children compared to their White counterparts. This persisting disparity between children of Black and White race has imposed a significant economic burden to the health care system due to a higher cost of surgical care for Black children. This disparity based upon race has barely changed in the last two decades, the authors note. The study, "Economic Trends of Racial Disparities in Pediatric Post-Appendectomy Complications," which will be published in the October 2021 issue of Pediatrics (published online Sept. 16), included 100,639 children who underwent appendectomy, of whom 89.9% were non-Hispanic White and 10.1% non-Hispanic Black. Surgical complications were consistently higher for Black children compared to White children, with no evidence of a narrowing of the racial disparity gap over time. Black children consistently incurred higher hospital costs (median difference: $629). Although many factors determine surgical outcomes and cost, the authors note that their estimates underscore the substantial economic consequences of complications-related disparities in the United States, and they call for targeted efforts to reduce post-appendectomy complications in Black children.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.