S1962 Who Bears the Brunt? Geographic, Racial, and Ethnic Disparities in Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the United States

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have emerged as a major health concern in modern times, particularly in Westernized nations that have recently joined the industrialized world. The burden of IBD remains significant, with a prevalence exceeding 0.3%. These statistics underscore the need for research on the prevention of inflammatory bowel disease and advancements in healthcare systems to address this intricate and expensive condition. Methods: Mortality data were extracted from the CDC WONDER database (2018–2023), and analysis was performed to calculate age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 1,00,000 people. Annual percent changes (APCs) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each group. The trends across various demographic variables such as race, gender, age, and urban vs rural status were assessed using the Joinpoint Regression Program (v 5.1.0). Results: Between 2018 and 2023, 25,153 IBD-related deaths occurred among adults in the United States. The AAMR increased from 8.27 per 100,000 in 2018 to 10.76 in 2023 (APC = 5.60; 95% CI, 0.04-12.30). Men had higher AAMRs than women between 2018 and 2023 (overall AAMR men: 10.9 vs women: 9.8) with an APC = 5.69; 95% CI, 0.74-10.89, P = 0.032786. In 2023, the highest AAMRs were observed among non-Hispanic (NH) White individuals (11.4) (APC = 6.18;95% CI, 0.20-12.52, P = 0.045285), followed by NH Black (6.9), NH American Indian (5.8), Hispanic (3.7), and NH Asian (2.0) populations. The Midwest region had the highest regional AAMR (11.5), followed by the West (10.9), South (9.7), and Northeast regions (9.4). States in the top 90th percentile for AAMR included Oregon, Vermont, Rhode Island, Colorado, and Minnesota, each with approximately double the AAMRs of those in the bottom 10th percentile, such as Hawaii, Florida, the District of Columbia, Arizona, and New Jersey. Conclusion: The rising burden of IBD in the US highlights the systemic disproportions and gaps in resource allocation and gut health maintenance. Focused public health strategies should be implemented to control preventable deaths and reduce inequities in vulnerable populations.