Higher Risk of Care for Hidradenitis Suppurativa in African American and Non-Hispanic Patients in the United States

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic cutaneous inflammatory disease. Few reports have been published on the influence of race, ethnicity, and other patient demographic factors as determinants of care for HS. Data from the 2005 to 2011 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) were analyzed for to assess factors that were predictive of outpatient visits for HS. Logistic regression controlling for demographic and other factors showed several disparities. African Americans are more likely to experience clinic visits for HS than Whites (Odds Ratio (OR) 2.00, p = 0.047). Moreover, non-Hispanic, non-Latino patients are more likely to visit the clinic for HS than Hispanic, Latino patients (OR 5.49, p = 0.002). Additionally, with increasing patient age, there is less likelihood of a clinic visit for HS (OR 0.99; p = 0.03). Although obese patients were 3.5 times more likely to have an HS office visit than normal weight individuals, this difference was not significant (p = 0.07). Since weight was not collected in this survey until 2005 and data collection continues, further years of data may refine these estimates. These results suggest there may be either increased risk of HS among specific groups, disparities in health access for care of HS, or both.