Gender Differences in Cardiac Surgery Treatment
Author Information
Author(s): N Nante, G Messina, M Cecchini, O Bertetto, F Moirano, M McKee
Primary Institution: Health Services Research Laboratory, University of Sienna
Hypothesis
Are there gender disparities in the likelihood of being surgically treated for coronary artery disease in Italy, and can these disparities be explained by age and severity of illness?
Conclusion
Men and women in northern Italy with cardiovascular disease are treated differently, and this difference cannot be explained by age or severity of disease.
Supporting Evidence
- Men were more likely to undergo surgical treatment for coronary artery disease than women.
- The odds ratio for men undergoing surgery was 2.11 before adjustment for confounders.
- Even after adjusting for age and severity, gender disparities in treatment persisted.
Takeaway
In Italy, women are less likely than men to get heart surgery, even when they have similar health issues.
Methodology
The study analyzed discharge data from all public and private hospitals in Piedmont, Italy, from 1999 to 2002, focusing on patients with specific cardiac diagnoses.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the gender of patients influencing physician decisions and diagnostic criteria developed primarily for men.
Limitations
The study relies on administrative data, which may have inaccuracies and incompleteness in clinical coding.
Participant Demographics
The study included 77,974 patients, with women constituting around 32% of the sample.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 2.04 to 2.19
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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