Appendix rupture likelier in poor or minority children

In another sign of racial and economic disparities in the U.S. healthcare system, researchers said Tuesday that minority children and those without private insurance are more likely to suffer a ruptured appendix.

A report from the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., said Asian children had a 66% higher rupture rate and black children a 13% higher rate than comparable white youngsters.

Children without health insurance had a 36% increased likelihood of a rupture, and those with Medicaid, the government insurance program for the poor, had a 48% higher chance than those with private health insurance.

When an inflamed appendix ruptures before it can be removed, there can be infections and other complications after surgery.

The study, published in the July 27 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Assn., based its findings on a review of more than 24,000 appendectomies performed on U.S. children 5 to 17 between 1997 and 2002.

“What’s most interesting about our findings is the disparity in care for minorities and children without health insurance or on Medicaid,” said Kurt Newman, a senior author of the study.

The study said that all the disparities probably were associated with factors before hospitalization such as access to healthcare, quality of care and patient or physician education.