Racial Minorities Less Likely To Consider Knee Replacement Surgery Than Whites

A recent presentation at the World Congress on Osteoarthritis addressed the issues of race and ethnicity with respect to osteoarthritis awareness.

Several ethnic groups were surveyed about their willingness to undergo joint replacement surgery of the knee. Responses from Caucasians, African Americans and Hispanic patients were markedly varied.

In the aggregate, 42% of Caucasian respondents were willing to consider knee replacement, compared to 30% of African-Americans and just 25% of Hispanics, with findings adjusted for educational level, age of respondents and socioeconomic status.

Analysis of the patient responses indicated that there were meaningful differences in familiarity with surgical procedures, belief in the ability of surgery to correct the underlying condition, and trust in the medical profession to make appropriate recommendations to patients. The authors of the study concluded that efforts made to educate the African-American and Hispanic community might pay significant dividends in quality of care.

See also:

What to Expect After Knee Replacement Surgery