Racial and ethnic disparities in the use of cardiovascular procedures: associations with type of health insurance.

Objectives: This study examined whether disparities in the use of cardiovascular procedures exist among African Americans, Latinos, and Asians relative to White patients, within health insurance categories.

Methods: Hospital discharge records (n = 104,952) of Los Angeles Country, California, residents with possible coronary artery disease were analyzed.

Results: After adjustment for confounders, lower odds of procedure use were found for African American and Latino patients for most types of insurance. Asians and Pacific Islanders had odds of procedure use similar to those of White patients. Disparities were absent among the privately insured.

Conclusions: Racial and ethnic disparities in procedure rates were evident in all types of insurance except private insurance.