Race/Ethnicity and Use of Elective Joint Replacement in the Management of End-Stage Knee/Hip Osteoarthritis A Review of the Literature

Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of arthritis for which elective knee and hip joint replacement are effective treatment options in the management of end-stage disease. There are marked racial disparities in the utilization of joint arthroplasty. This article reviews the rationale for understanding this disparity, the evidence base that supports the disparity, and some known potential explanations, as well as additional data on racial disparities emerging in research on postarthroplasty outcomes and quality of care. The article concludes with a call for more research examining patient, provider and system-level factors that underlie these disparities.