Do African Americans receive equal access to treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD)?
Michelle E. Tarver-Carr, BS1, Frederick L. Brancati, MD, MHS1, Mark S. Eberhardt, PhD2, and Neil R. Powe, MD, MPH, MBA1. (1) Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 2024 E. Monument, Suite 2-600, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-502-6705, mtarver@jhmi.edu, (2) National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, MD Previous studies suggest disparities in health service usage between African Americans and whites. However, it is not known whether African Americans are less likely to receive kidney replacement therapy when they develop ESRD, a condition for which they are at higher risk than other ethnic groups. Therefore, we conducted a case-control study nested in the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II) Mortality Study, a non-concurrent cohort study of 9250 adults aged 30-74 examined in NHANES II (1976-1980). Death was ascertained by matching to national mortality files through 1992. Incident cases of treated ESRD (i.e., chronic dialysis or transplantati
