New Report: How Should We Measure and Interpret Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care?

Posted by Urban Institute on February 7, 2023

In a new report, the Urban Institute shares recommendations on producing and interpreting accurate estimates of racial and ethnic disparities in health care. The report also highlights the importance of incorporating “the role of systematic racism within a conceptual framework,” a critical component of obtaining concise estimates. Actions such as investigating “models that move beyond documenting disparities to analyze contributing factors” and using a clear and explicit definition of the health care disparity of interest with an accurate corresponding method,” are two of the five recommendations the Institute provides. Additionally, the report shares ways “estimates and interpretation can vary with different definitions and estimation methods,” supporting the importance of “motivating these choices with an explicit definition, research question, and comprehensive conceptual framework.”

Download the report.