Health policy
-
Comparative Study
The association of race and ethnicity with rates of drug and alcohol testing among US trauma patients.
Racial and ethnic minority patients often receive differential medical care compared to Caucasians. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of race and ethnicity with rates of alcohol and drug testing among adult US trauma patients. ⋯ Racial and ethnic minority trauma patients in the US are tested for alcohol and drugs at higher rates after adjusting for potential confounders. Because having a positive alcohol or drug test can adversely affect a patient's medical care, differential testing that is racially or ethnically biased may place minority patients at risk of receiving disparate care.