AHRQ National Healthcare Disparities Report
The AHRQ National Healthcare Disparities Report, released on April 13, 2010 by the US Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ, provides a summary and explanation of key disparities-related results derived from data. These results include effectiveness, patient safety, timeliness, and patient-centeredness in healthcare:
Key findings of the 2009 National Healthcare Disparities Report include:
- disparities are common and uninsurance is an important contributor.
- many disparities are not decreasing
- some disparities – including cancer – merit particular attention.
The report also summarizes efforts by AHRQ and Health and Human Services to mitigate health disparities by training providers, raising awareness, forming partnerships to identify and test solutions.
The purpose of the annual National Healthcare Disparities Report is to identify differences in care among different populations and track how these gaps are changing over time. Healthcare disparities are examined across broadly defined “priority populations,” including, but not limited to those identified by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
Spotlight on cancer disparities
The report highlights, among other things, core cancer measures in which disparities have worsened. Disparities around colorectal cancer are emphasized. Gaps in colorectal screening have increased between Blacks, Asians, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, and Hispanics, as compared to Whites. Of note, the gap between American Indians/Alaskan Natives and Whites is increasing at a rate of 7.7% per year. In addition, the numbers of cancer deaths from colorectal cancer per 100,000 people per year are increasing for Blacks and Hispanics as compared to Whites.The complete report is available at no charge at http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr09/nhdr09.pdf
