Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Hospital Mortality among Ischemic Stroke Patients in Hawaii

Abstract

Background: We evaluated disparities in in-hospital mortality rates among whites, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHOPI), Filipinos, and other Asian groups in Hawaii who were hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke.

Materials and methods: Using a statewide hospital claims database, we performed a retrospective study including sequential acute ischemic stroke patients between 2010 and 2015. We compared in-hospital mortality rates among whites, NHOPI, Filipinos, other Asian groups excluding Filipinos, and other races (Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, mixed race).

Results: A total of 13,030 patient discharges were included in this study. The mean (±SD) age in years at the time of stroke was 63.5 ± 14.3 for NHOPI, 69.6 ± 14.4 for Filipinos, 67.8 ± 14.2 for other race, 71.4 ± 13.8 for whites, and 76.1 ± 13.5 for other Asians (P < .001). NHOPI patients had higher rates of diabetes (48.8%), obesity (18.4%), and tobacco use (31.3%) compared with patients in other racial-ethnic categories. Filipino patients had the highest rate of hemorrhagic transformation (9.7%). Age-adjusted stroke mortality rates were highest among Filipinos (15.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 14.3%-17.6%), followed by other Asian groups (15.1%; 95% CI = 14.0%-16.2%), NHOPI (14.8%; 95% CI = 12.8%-16.8%), other race (14.4%; 95% CI = 11.3%-17.4%), and lowest among whites (12.8%; 11.5%-14.2%). After adjusting for other confounding variables, Filipinos had higher mortality (odds ratio = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.03-1.45), whereas other Asian groups, NHOPI, and other race patients had mortality rates that were similar to whites.

Conclusion: In Hawaii, Filipino ethnicity is an independent risk factor for higher in-hospital stroke mortality compared with whites.

Keywords: Asian; Ischemic stroke; Native Hawaiian; ethnic disparities; mortality; stroke treatment.