What is the role of patient choice in disparities?
A few studies indicate that patient choices may play some role in some health care disparities. For example, some research has shown that African Americans veterans tend to refuse joint replacement and lung cancer tumor removal surgeries. However, we need to understand what drives these choices. They may reflect a lack of information or they may reflect deeply held values that should be respected and preserved. It is unlikely however, that patient lifestyles or choices for their care are the sole reason for the vast number of health disparities that have been observed. To be blunt: there is no evidence to suggest that differences in life expectancy, and the burden of diseases such as hypertension, tuberculosis, and diabetes result from informed patient choices.
