Disparities in Potentially Preventable Emergency Department Visits for Children with Asthma among Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Whites in Hawai‘i

Olivia Uchima, Deborah A. Taira, Hyeong Jun Ahn, So Yung Choi, May Okihiro and Tetine Sentell
Additional contact information
Olivia Uchima: Office of Public Health Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, 1960 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Deborah A. Taira: Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, 677 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
Hyeong Jun Ahn: Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, 651 Ilalo Street, Medical Education Building, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
So Yung Choi: Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, 651 Ilalo Street, Medical Education Building, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
May Okihiro: Department of Pediatrics, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
Tetine Sentell: Office of Public Health Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, 1960 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-13

Abstract: The cost burdens of potentially preventable emergency department visits for pediatric asthma were estimated for Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Whites using Hawai‘i statewide 2015–2016 data. The cost burden of the 3234 preventable emergency department visits over the study period was over $1.9 million. Native Hawaiians had the largest proportion (36.5%) of all preventable emergency department visits and accounted for the highest costs for the two years at $709,698. After adjusting for other factors, costs for preventable pediatric-asthma-related emergency department visits differed significantly by age, insurance provider, and island of residency. Reducing potentially preventable emergency department visits would not only improve health disparities among Native Hawaiians compared to other racial or ethnic populations in Hawai‘i, but could also generate cost savings for public and private insurance payers.

Keywords: hospitalization; costs; asthma; child; adolescent; Asians; Pacific Islanders; Native Hawaiians (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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