Sociodemographic disparities in PONV

Editor's Note

This study led by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham examines the associations between sociodemographic factors and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and clinician adherence to PONV prophylaxis protocols.

A total of 8,384 patients were included in the analysis.

When PONV prophylaxis protocols were adhered to:

• Black patients were less likely to experience PONV than White patients.
• Medicaid patients were less likely to experience PONV than privately insured patients.
• High-risk Hispanic patients were more likely to experience PONV than high-risk White patients.

Overall, Black patients had a 17% lower risk of PONV than White patients, and protocol adherence was lower for Black patients with moderate and high risk than White patients.

Awareness of such PONV prophylaxis disparities could improve the quality of perioperative care, the researchers say.