Black children 3 times as likely to die after surgery, study finds

Even among apparently healthy children, Black patients are almost three and a half times more likely to die within 30 days after surgery than white patients, according to a new study (Source: “Study: Black Children Face Higher Risk of Death After Surgery,” July 27, 2020).

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, analyzed data from over 172,000 children who underwent surgery between 2012 and 2017. The data came from hospitals across the country through the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric database. All of the patients were age 17 or younger. Of the patients included in the study, 70% were white and about 11% were Black.

The study did not provide definitive answers for the causes of the disparities.

“That is going to require more research. We cannot answer that question from the current study, and we’re just going to have to go back to the database to see whether we can find some answers and continue to provide the best care for the children,” said Dr. Olubukola O. Nafiu of Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, who was one of five researchers who conducted the study.