Racial and ethnic disparities in perceived health and barriers to care among adults with hip osteoarthritis: a national analysis of 16,000 + patients from the all of us program

Abstract Objective To explore racial and ethnic disparities in perceived health, healthcare access, and perceived barriers among adults with hip osteoarthritis (OA) in a large, nationally representative U.S. cohort. Methods Cross-sectional analysis of 16,743 adults with hip OA from the All of Us Research Program. Participants self-identified as Black, Hispanic, or White. Outcomes included self-reported general, mental, physical, and social health, provider communication, and structural barriers to care. Between-group comparisons used Chi-square tests. Results Black and Hispanic participants were younger, had lower income and education, and relied more on Medicaid than White participants (all p < 0.001). They reported higher rates of unaffordable deductibles, difficulty accessing follow-up care, insurance coverage issues, transportation challenges, and medication cost-related nonadherence (all p < 0.001) Table 3. Minority groups also more often experienced poor provider respect, trust, and communication. Across all health domains, Black and Hispanic participants reported poorer outcomes and greater emotional distress (all p < 0.001). Conclusion Significant racial and ethnic disparities exist in structural and perceptual barriers to care among adults with hip OA. These findings identify potentially modifiable barriers that warrant further study and may inform future efforts to improve equity in hip osteoarthritis care.