{"id":14757,"date":"2022-04-01T09:32:21","date_gmt":"2022-04-01T07:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disturbmenot.co\/?p=14757"},"modified":"2022-03-31T22:52:40","modified_gmt":"2022-03-31T20:52:40","slug":"black-children-are-83-less-likely-to-visit-an-orl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disturbmenot.co\/black-children-are-83-less-likely-to-visit-an-orl\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Children Are 83% Less Likely to Visit an ORL"},"content":{"rendered":"

A recent study shows that children from socioeconomically vulnerable families have a higher chance of not attending a specialist treatment for one of the most common sleep conditions (sleep-disordered breathing (SDB)) after their primary care physician’s referral.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the study conducted with data from the <\/span>Medical University of South Carolina,<\/span> scientists evaluated<\/span><\/a> which socioeconomic factors condition the pursuit of medical care of a higher level.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Around 400 children between the ages of 2 and 17 were included, and their ORL appointment attendance was surveyed and compared.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The research team also estimated the participants’ <\/span>social vulnerability index (SVI), which includes parameters like ethnicity, family composition, disability, and economic status.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And while some disparities were expected, the results were still shocking!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was found that Black children were 83% less likely to visit an ORL for SDB than White children. Similarly, Hispanic children had 73% lower odds of visiting the ORL than Caucasian Kids.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Results also indicated that children with lower SVI honored their otolaryngology appointments more than those deemed more socioeconomically vulnerable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, what influenced attendance the most was the socioeconomic status of children’s families. Other factors, including difficulties relating to language and transportation, were less influential.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Disparities like these ought to be taken seriously, given that SDB is not a light diagnosis. It incorporates obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), periodic limb movement disorder, restless leg syndrome, etc. (in short, all breathing problems that occur during sleep and interfere with it).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, it’s estimated that <\/span>1\u20135%<\/span><\/a> percent of US children suffer from OSA. This means that 2,000\u20133,000 kids are affected by this condition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The worst part is that sleep-disordered breathing can cause a number of problems for children, including:<\/span><\/p>\n