Racial disparities in lower extremity orthopaedic injuries presenting to U.S. emergency departments from 2010 to 2020

Introduction: Racial and ethnic disparities remain a major problem in orthopedic surgery, driving inequitable resource distribution, disparate clinical outcomes, and increased healthcare costs. The objective of this study was to investigate potential racial/ethnic disparities in the incidence and injury patterns of orthopedic lower extremity trauma (LET) in the United States over the past 10 years, as well as differences in final disposition outcomes. Materials and Methods: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database was queried for all orthopedic LET presenting to U.S. emergency departments from 2010 to 2020. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were used to compare incidence rates between racial/ethnic groups. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to compare disposition outcomes. Results: Black/African Americans (Black/AAs) consistently experienced the highest incidence of LET over the 10-year period analyzed (709.108 per 100,000 person-years), followed by Whites (547.159 per 100,000 person-years). Furthermore, Black/AAs had the highest incidence of polytrauma (114.19 per 100,000 person-years), over 1.7x greater than Whites (IRR: 1.73 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.72–1.75]). Black/AAs had over 2-fold higher odds of death after LET compared to Whites (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.15 [95% CI: 1.78–2.59]). By 2019 to 2020, the incidence of deaths among Black/AAs reached more than triple that of Whites (IRR: 3.50 [95% CI: 2.74–4.46]). Black/AAs were also the most likely to be discharged against medical advice (AMA) (aOR: 1.94 [95% CI: 1.92–1.96]), and the least likely to be admitted as inpatients (aOR: 0.683 [95% CI: 0.679–0.688]). Conclusions: Despite Black/AAs experiencing a disproportionately higher incidence of LET and over 2-fold greater odds of death compared to Whites, they were also the most likely to be discharged AMA and least likely to be admitted as inpatients. Understanding the effects of conscious/unconscious biases and the importance of effective communication and patient education may help physicians ensure that injuries in this patient population are not prematurely discharged, potentially improving clinical outcomes, and reducing mortality. Level of Evidence: III.