The Demographics of Patients Presenting for Laryngological Care at an Academic Medical Center

Abstract

Objectives/Hypothesis Few studies address the demographics/epidemiology/socioeconomic status of patients presenting to a laryngologist at a tertiary care center for treatment. To identify any possible disparities in voice, airway, and swallowing care, we sought to analyze the aforementioned data for new patients presenting to the voice center at an academic medical center. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data from an institutional database of 4,623 new adult patients presenting for laryngological care at a tertiary care, academic medical center from 2015 to 2020. Demographic data were analyzed. Results Of 4,623 patients, 62.8% were female and 37.2% were male with ages ranging from 19 to 99 years (Avg 59.51, standard deviation 15.83). Patients were 81.8% white, 13% black, and 5.2% other, compared with 56.3% white, 34.8% black, 20% other in the local municipality from US Census Data. Payer mix included 46.98% Medicare, 42.59% commercial insurance, 3.22% Medicaid, 5.19% other, and 2.01% uninsured/self‐insured. Patient demographics based on primary diagnosis codes were also examined. A majority of patients presented with voice‐related complaints. Conclusions Understanding the demographics of those with laryngological disorders will help to develop targeted interventions and effective outreach programs for underrepresented patient populations. Future multicenter studies could provide further insight into the distribution of healthcare disparities in laryngology. Level of Evidence 3 Laryngoscope, 132:626–632, 2022

Interventions and Outcomes in Glottic Versus Multi‐level Airway Stenosis: A Multi‐institutional Review

“…This study evaluated the differences in surgical management as well as tracheostomy and decannulation rates between patients with PGS, MLAS, and BVFP. The demographics of patients in this study (53% women, mean age 57 years) paralleled the demographics of patients seeking laryngology care at academic medical centers (63% women, mean age 60 years) 12 . Additionally, the patients included in this study had several risk factors including diabetes and tobacco use as was previously described by Rosen et al and Hillel and colleagues in patients with airway stenosis 2,4 .…”

“…The demographics of patients in this study (53% women, mean age 57 years) paralleled the demographics of patients seeking laryngology care at academic medical centers (63% women, mean age 60 years). 12 Additionally, the patients included in this study had several risk factors including diabetes and tobacco use as was previously described by Rosen et al and Hillel and colleagues in patients with airway stenosis. 2,4 With ongoing efforts to identify trends of modifiable co-morbidities, otolaryngologists continue to play a prominent role in counseling patients and in advocating for preventative measures against laryngotracheal stenosis.…”