Disparities in asthma hospitalizations among children seen in the emergency department.

We examined the race/ethnicity variation in the risk of hospitalization among children seen in the emergency department (ED) for asthma. ED and hospitalization records for children 1 to 19 years of age in New Jersey for 2004 and 2005 were linked. The dataset identified 47,548 ED and hospitalizations among 37,216 children. ED and hospitalization rates indicated persistent disparities in pediatric asthma. ED admission rates were similar across race/ethnic groups, suggesting similar management of pediatric asthma patients once they are seen in the ED. Integrating existing ED and hospitalization records will enhance asthma surveillance and the targeting of interventions to reduce race/ethnicity disparities.