Sex, gender, race and ethnicity matter in limb preservation in North America

Abstract

The causes of sex, gender, racial and ethnic disparities in health care are multifactorial and reflect differences in biological vulnerability to disease as well as differences in social resources, environmental conditions and health-care interventions. These factors are well known to influence the fate of people with diabetes-related foot complications such as diabetic foot ulcer, infection and amputation. In this paper, the authors discuss the important concepts of health equity, equality and disparity in relation to the impact of sex, gender, race and ethnicity on limb preservation.