Disparities in Access to Healthcare in Adults with Sinusitis in the United States

The study explored disparities in healthcare access among adults with sinusitis based on sociodemographic factors. The study involved 32,994 participants (representing 244,838,261 U.S. adults) who completed the 2016 National Health Interview Survey, of which 12.17% were diagnosed with sinusitis at least once in the prior 12 months. Multivariate regression analyses were performed. In regression analyses, female sex and older age groups were associated with increased odds of having sinusitis. Within the sinusitis cohort, Asian race and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with increased odds of obtaining foreign medications. Individuals with Medicaid had decreased odds of delaying care or not receiving care due to cost but increased odds of delaying care due to transportation barriers. Uninsured individuals had higher odds of delaying care and not receiving care due to cost. Income > $100,000 was associated with a nearly 90% reduction in the inability to obtain care due to cost and an over 99% reduction in the inability to obtain care due to transportation issues compared to income < $35,000. Therefore, significant disparities in healthcare access based on race, health insurance status, and income exist among adults with sinusitis in the United States.