The use of coronary angiography and revascularization is lower than expected among black patients. It is uncertain whether use of other cardiac procedures also varies according to race and ethnicity and whether outcomes are affected.

Methods

We analyzed discharge abstracts from all nonfederal hospitals in California of patients hospitalized for a primary diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation between 1992 and 1994. We compared mortality rates and use of electrophysiologic study (EPS) and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) procedures according to the race and ethnicity of the patient.

Results

Among 8713 patients admitted with ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, 29% (n  2508) had a subsequent EPS procedure, and 9% (n  818) had an ICD implanted. After controlling for potential confounding factors, we found that black patients were significantly less likely than white patients to undergo EPS (odds ratio 0.72, CI 0.56-0.92) or ICD implantation (odds ratio 0.39, CI 0.25-0.60). Blacks discharged alive from the initial hospital admission had higher mortality rates over the next year than white patients, even after controlling for multiple confounding risk factors (risk ratio 1.18, CI 1.03-1.36). The use of EPS and ICD procedures was also significantly affected by several other factors, most notably by on-site procedure availability but also by age, sex, and insurance status.

Conclusions

In a large population of patients hospitalized for ventricular arrhythmia, blacks had significantly lower rates of utilization for EPS and ICD procedures and higher subsequent mortality rates.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of overweight concerns and body dissatisfaction among third-grade girls and boys and the influences of ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES).

Study Design: Nine hundred sixty-nine children (mean age, 8.5 years) attending 13 northern California public elementary schools completed assessments of overweight concerns, body dissatisfaction, and desired shape, height, and weight.

Results: The sample was 44% white, 21% Latino, 19% non-Filipino Asian American, 8% Filipino, and 5% African American. Twenty-six percent of boys and 35% of girls reported wanting to lose weight, and 17% of boys and 24% of girls reported dieting to lose weight. Among girls, Latinas and African Americans reported significantly more overweight concerns than Asian Americans and Filipinas, and Latinas reported significantly more overweight concerns than whites. White and Latina girls also reported greater body dissatisfaction than Asian American girls. Some differences persisted even after controlling for actual body fatness. Higher SES African American girls reported significantly more overweight concerns than lower SES African American girls, but higher SES white girls reported less overweight concerns than lower SES white girls.

Conclusion: Overweight concerns and body dissatisfaction are highly prevalent among third-grade girls and boys, across ethnicity and SES. Young Latina and African American girls manifest equivalent or higher levels of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors as white and Asian American girls.

Purpose: To examine the relationship between use of electronic media and perceived importance of appearance and weight concerns among adolescent girls.

Methods: Physical measures and self-report surveys were obtained from 837 ninth-grade girls attending pubs lic high schools in San Jose, California (mean age = 14.9 +/- 0.47 years; 36% Latino, 24% White, 22% Asian, 8% Black, 10% other). Correlational and multiple regression analyses were performed with ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), perceived importance of appearance, weight concerns, and media use (based on self-reported average weekly use of television, videotapes, video and computer games, and music videos).

Results: Total media use was not significantly related to perceived importance of appearance or weight concerns. When media use was separated into distinct media genres, only hours of watching music videos was related to perceived importance of appearance and weight concerns (r = 0.12, p .001, and r = .08, p .05, respectively). In multivariate analyses, after controlling for BMI and ethnicity, no media use variables were significantly associated with either perceived importance of appearance or weight concerns.

Conclusions: Frequent music video use may be a risk factor for increased perceived importance of appearance and increased weight concerns among adolescent girls.