Diagnostic evaluation for abnormal uterine bleeding at emergency departments in the United States.

269 Background: Uterine cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the U.S. with well-documented racial disparity in stage at diagnosis (more advanced stage among Black women). As there is no routine screening for uterine cancer, timely and proper evaluation of relevant symptoms is important for early diagnosis. Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is a prominent symptom of uterine cancer, yet data on the quality of care around AUB evaluation are sparse, especially among patients presenting to the emergency departments (ED) who are particularly at risk for delayed diagnosis due to lack of access to primary care. This study aimed to examine the pattern of diagnostic evaluation for AUB in a national sample of women seeking care at EDs and potential racial and ethnic differences. Methods: Using the 2014-2021 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) data, we identified 7,900,653 (weighted) women without previous cancer diagnosis who visited ED for non-pregnancy related AUB. The primary outcomes were whether an ultrasound was performed/ordered at the ED visit and whether a referral/return to a physician or clinic for follow-up consultation was recommended. Multivariable logistic regressions were fit to assess the association of race and ethnicity with these diagnostic evaluations, while accounting for other characteristics of the ED visit (e.g. patient age, comorbidities, involvement of a consulting physician, type of insurance, geographic region, and metropolitan area location). All analyses accounted for the NHAMCS complex sample design and sampling weight to generate nationally representative estimates. Results: Non-Hispanic Black women were less likely than non-Hispanic White women to receive or have an ultrasound ordered (34.9% vs 42.5%, P = 0.004), which remained statistically significant after adjusting for other characteristics of the visit in multivariable analysis (adjusted OR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.36-0.92). Multivariable analysis also showed a lower likelihood of non-Hispanic Black women receiving referral or recommendation for follow-up consultation, compared to non-Hispanic White women (adjusted OR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.31-0.94). Hispanic women did not differ significantly from non-Hispanic White women in these measures. Perimenopausal age (45-54 years) and location in a non-metropolitan area were associated with a lower likelihood of having an ultrasound performed/ordered or a referral/follow-up consultation recommended. Involvement of a consulting physician at the ED visit increased the likelihood of having an ultrasound performed/ordered while reducing the likelihood of referral/recommendation for follow-up consultation. Conclusions: There is racial disparity in the diagnostic evaluation of AUB among women seeking care at EDs. Future efforts to improve care quality and equity in this area may help reduce disparities in early diagnosis of uterine cancer.