A recent Yale-led study is shedding light on the discrepancies in treatment of PAD among the Hispanic population in comparison to non-Hispanic white patients.

By utilizing a national database, researchers looked at 1,018,220 hospitalizations for PAD between 2011-2017 to learn why Hispanic adults tend to experience longer hospitalizations, more emergency department visits for amputations, fewer revascularization procedures, and fewer diagnoses of the disease.

There are multiple reasons why this may be the case. First, education plays a key role in encouraging people to get a screening. As mentioned earlier, most people with PAD don’t know they have it.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is very common in the U.S., affecting about 8.5 million Americans. What’s worse is that most don’t even know they have the disease until it’s too late for intervention. PAD is defined by blockages of plaque in your arteries, typically in your legs, and it can completely cut off blood flow, leading to amputation. As a result, those with the disease experience leg pain while walking or even at rest if the disease has progressed.

Mental health is may be another reason why Hispanics experience worse outcomes. Those experiencing pain while walking may avoid physical activity, which can then affect quality of life and lead to depression. As a result, the depression may dissuade them to get out walking—a vicious cycle as you can see. Lead researcher, Kim Germaine Emiel Smolderen, PhD, MSc, elaborates by saying, “Most likely, the relationship is multi-directional. The increased risk of depression may be due to the experience of the disease, but also due to shared underlying mechanisms.”

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