Exploring Health Equity Gaps in the Administration of Regional Anesthesia for Surgical Interventions

Abstract

This review aimed to identify and synthesize existing literature on racial and ethnic disparities in the administration of regional anesthesia for patients undergoing surgical procedures. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Ovid MEDLINE, supplemented by manual reference screening, yielded 4,931 articles, of which 26 met inclusion criteria following title, abstract, and full-text review. Studies were categorized by surgical intervention type—breast, general, and orthopedic surgery—to assess disparities in regional anesthesia administration. Additionally, system- and patient-level factors influencing these differences were examined. The findings demonstrate consistent evidence of racial and ethnic disparities in the receipt of regional anesthesia. Further research is needed to understand the underlying causes and inform strategies to promote equitable anesthesia care.