The 2003 National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) represents the first national comprehensive effort to measure differences in quality of and access to health care services overall and by various populations.
The 2003 National Healthcare Disparities Report presents data on the same clinical conditions and other measures as its companion National Healthcare Quality Report as they apply to the priority populations, including women; children; the elderly; racial and ethnic minority groups; low income groups; residents of rural areas; and individuals with special health care needs, specifically children with special needs, people with disabilities, people in need of long-term care, and people requiring end-of-life care.
The 2003 NHDR includes a report and four appendixes.
The report presents findings on quality of and access to health care in the general U.S. population and among priority populations. It focuses on four components of quality—effectiveness, patient safety, timeliness, and
patient centeredness—and four components of access—entry into the health care system, structural barriers within the system, ability of provider to address patient needs, and utilization of care.
Current as of August 2007
Internet Citation:
National Healthcare Disparities Report, 2003. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr03/nhdr03.htm