Acute myocardial infarction and race, sex, and insurance types: unequal processes of care.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States. Georgia's death rate from cardiovascular disease is higher than the national rate. Previous studies have suggested that whites and African Americans do not receive the same processes of care for a first episode of acute myocardial infarction, one of many cardiovascular disease pathologies. Patient's insurance type, race, sex, and whether a patient lives in a rural or urban area have also been suggested as explanations for unequal processes of care for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. Using diagnosis-related group reimbursement data from an academic medical center in Georgia, this study found independent effects for race (p < .001) and payer status (p = .004), after adjusting for fiscal year. Possible causes for these differences, as well as recommendations for further study, are explored.