Abstract
Sepsis, a syndrome characterized by systemic inflammation during infection, continues to be one of the most common causes of patient mortality in hospitals across the United States. While standardized treatment protocols have been implemented, a wide variability in clinical outcomes persists across racial groups. Specifically, black and Hispanic populations are frequently associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality in sepsis compared to the white population. While this is often attributed to systemic bias against minority groups, a growing body of literature has found patient, community, and hospital-based factors to be driving racial differences. In this article, we provide a focused review on some of the factors driving racial disparities in sepsis. We also suggest potential interventions aimed at reducing health disparities in the prevention, early identification, and clinical management of sepsis.
Highlights
Sepsis, a syndrome characterized life threatening organ dysfunction secondary to infection, is one of the most common causes of inpatient mortality [1,2]
The purpose of this review is to summarize the current state of the literature on these factors contributing to racial disparities in sepsis and to suggest potentially efficacious interventions
This suggests that there is a complex interaction of socioeconomic factors that results in differences in sepsis outcomes that may not be fully explained by race alone
Summary
A syndrome characterized life threatening organ dysfunction secondary to infection, is one of the most common causes of inpatient mortality [1,2]. Current efforts are focused on early detection and protocol-driven management or “sepsis bundles” [8,9] These bundles include interventions such as administration of resuscitative fluids, antibiotics, and vasoactive medications to maintain physiologic parameters at recommended levels. Wide variability in mortality rates persist despite standardization of care This suggests the presence of healthcare disparity, which is defined as the “differences in the quality of health care that are not due to access-related factors or clinical needs, preferences and appropriateness of intervention” [11]. We will be focusing on the impact of racial disparities on long-term outcomes since sepsis results in significant morbidity and mortality several years after the initial insult [21,22].
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