Compared to white and cisgender adolescents, Black youth and transgender and nonbinary adolescents are less likely to be admitted for patient care, according to a study published July 8 in JAMA Pediatrics.
The researchers, who work at medical schools and hospitals in Massachusetts, analyzed nearly 5,000 episodes of youth boarding for at least three midnights between 2020 and 2022. When testing for ethnic, racial and gender disparities in boarding durations or inpatient admission likelihood, they found statistically significant inequities.
In Massachusetts emergency department waiting rooms, Black children were about 4% less likely to be admitted compared to white youth. Compared to cisgender girls, transgender and nonbinary youth were about 9% less likely to be admitted for inpatient care, but they stayed two days longer on average.
Depression was the most common diagnosis (43%).
Overall, nearly 50% of all youth were not admitted after boarding in the ER for three nights or longer.
Amid the youth mental health crisis, the researchers recommended targeted resources to reduce boarding and increase equitable access to care.