Occurrence and outcomes of sepsis: Influence of race*

Abstract

In this study, age-adjusted case fatality rates for hospitalized white and black patients with sepsis were similar. These data are not suggestive of systematic disparities in the quality of treatment of sepsis between blacks and whites. However, blacks had higher rates of hospitalization and population-based mortality for sepsis. We speculate that disparities in disease prevention and care of preexisting conditions before sepsis onset may explain these differences.