Ethnoracial Disparities Seen in Access to Genetic Testing in Pediatric Neurology
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Feb. 13, 2025 -- For pediatric neurology patients, there are marked ethnoracial disparities in genetic testing completion, according to a study published online Feb. 12 in Neurology.
Jordan Janae Cole, M.D., from the University of Colorado in Aurora, and colleagues examined whether social determinants of health (SDOH) are associated with genetic testing among pediatric neurology outpatients in a retrospective observational study using electronic health record data. Genetic testing requests, insurance denials, and test completion rates were compared for non-Hispanic single-racial or multiracial Black versus non-Hispanic single-racial White patients.
Data were included for 11,371 patients, of whom 4.9 percent completed one or more genetic test in the study interval. The researchers found that compared with Black patients, White patients were significantly more likely to have completed one or more genetic test (adjusted odds ratio, 1.88). The most common specialty through which testing was completed was outpatient pediatric neurology. There was no difference seen in neurology provider request rates for genetic testing by patient ethnoracial identity; lower insurance denial rates after neurology request were seen for White versus Black patients (relative rate ratio, 0.44); the likelihood of completing genetic testing after it was requested through neurology was lower for those with public insurance (adjusted odds ratio, 0.59). Insurance type was significantly associated only with multipanel gene completion when considering individual genetic test types (public versus private: odds ratio, 0.56).
"Recognizing ethnoracial inequities and the barriers to genetic testing due to SDOH are essential for developing interventions to eliminate testing disparities, such as improving insurance coverage and increasing availability of point-of-care genetic testing," the authors write.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted February 2025
Read this next
AAP Updates Screening Guidance for Child Mental Health, Behavioral Problems
MONDAY, Aug. 25, 2025 -- In a clinical report issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics and published online Aug. 25 in Pediatrics, updated recommendations are presented for...
Discordance Seen Between Care Goals, Treatment Intent in Advanced Cancer
MONDAY, Aug. 25, 2025 -- More patients with advanced cancer report that their treatment discordantly focuses on longevity over comfort than patients with other illnesses...
Apitegromab Improves Motor Function in Spinal Muscular Atrophy
MONDAY, Aug. 25, 2025 -- For patients with nonambulatory type 2 or type 3 spinal muscular atrophy, apitegromab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits myostatin activation, improves...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.