Despite the rising prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) among racial and ethnic underserved populations, disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes remain. Patients of color are more likely to present with more severe disease, sometimes with extraintestinal manifestations. However, even after controlling for disease severity for both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, Black and Hispanic patients are not only less likely to receive appropriate biologic therapy, but also have higher rates of cumulative surgeries than their White and Asian counterparts. It is imperative that each member of the multidisciplinary care team works together to address these disparities in order to improve equity in treatment and outcomes for all patients.
In this CMEO BriefCase, expert faculty will utilize case-based learning to illustrate these pervasive disparities through the stories of two patients, Harold and April, while offering strategies to address inequities in the treatment and outcomes of patients with IBD.