A study published in JAMA Dermatology reviewed federal outpatient dermatological care data from 2007 to 2015, finding socioeconomic characteristics vastly impacted access, Medpage Today reports.
Researchers evaluated 183,054 patients' data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.
Here's what you should know:
1. Hispanics and blacks were half as likely to receive outpatient dermatological care as their non-Hispanic white counterparts.
2. Uninsured patients as well as Medicare and Medicaid patients were less likely to seek g outpatient dermatological care than privately insured patients.
3. Female patients were more likely to seek care than their male counterparts.
4. Midwestern patients were the least likely to seek outpatient care.
Researchers concluded, "Results of this study suggest an urgent need to further characterize potential dermatologic health care differences and improve use of outpatient dermatologic care among disadvantaged populations."
