INTRODUCTION
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by recurrent nodules, abscesses, and sinus tracts with secondary scarring and fibrosis resulting from immune responses to follicular occlusion.1,2,3 Black patients, in the United States, have a higher prevalence of HS than White patients.3
HS has previously been associated with obesity/high body mass index (BMI) and lower socioeconomic status (SES), suggesting that patients of low SES may have more severe cases due to a variety of variables, including nutritional options, medication coverage, research funding for the condition, health insurance coverage, and reimbursement for physician treatment.3,4,5 Black Americans are more likely to be uninsured or underinsured than their White counterparts, which may cause barriers to accessing care or coverage for medication or treatment.6 Here we investigate racial disparities in the management of HS using data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), and identify whether structural barriers may reduce equitable care to those with HS.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The data set in this study was obtained for the years 2012–2018 from the publicly available National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Disparities in demographics, practices, and care for HS between White and Black patients were examined for many variables (Table 1). Data
