This information allows you to compare the differences in the C-section rates among the residents of various counties and communities. It may provide a broader picture of physician practice patterns and demographic characteristics in selected communities than can be seen by examining the rates by hospital alone. Community and socioeconomic factors - residents' health status, geographic access to medical facilities, median income, age and other factors - have been demonstrated to have an effect on C-section rates.
To establish community-sized areas, the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council uses a system that groups zip codes and reports a C-section rate for the residents of those areas. These areas are approximations of communities but do not strictly follow municipal lines.
In this section, C-section rates are based on patients' county and community of residence, irrespective of where they were hospitalized. For example, if a resident of Allegheny County is hospitalized for a C-section in Philadelphia, that patient will count towards Allegheny's hospitalization rate, not Philadelphia's rate.
In this section, each Pennsylvania county's rate is compared to the statewide rate. In other words, the data show whether a county is above or below the state rate and whether the difference is statistically significant. The same formula is applied to community-size areas, although only significant differences are shown. It is important to note that communities are defined by zip codes. They do not follow minor civil division lines precisely and may include zip codes from nearby communities or surrounding areas. A full listing of zip codes and corresponding communities is available from the Council upon request.
These data are age adjusted, according to the state rate, meaning that differences among geographic areas are not attributable to age. The data include only Pennsylvania residents admitted to Pennsylvania hospitals.
These data point out differences in C-section rates, according to where patients live. These variations provide a broader picture of the utilization of C-section procedures than can be seen by examining only hospital-specific rates. They can help to raise important questions about the differences among communities. By identifying differences in population-based rates, the possible reasons for those differences can be analyzed.
There are well-documented risk factors which may contribute to variation in admission and complication rates. Socioeconomic factors, such as accessibility to medical care, type of insurance coverage, income level and the level of education, may impact C-section rates. The variations may also be related to physician practice patterns.
For example, suppose the residents of a given community have a C-section rate that is significantly greater than the state rate. Is that due to the health status of the community, which may be related to socioeconomic or other factors? If so, can prevention and health education efforts be better targeted or increased in this area? Is the rate influenced by the effectiveness of the health care system in treating patients? Is it due to provider practice patterns or patient preferences which could be changed with appropriate educational programs?
The usefulness of these type of data is to provide a broad descriptive picture, and to serve as a point of departure for more in-depth data collection, analysis and planning.
Statewide Rate (PA Residents Only) = 19.9
| Black | Significantly Above Statewide Rate |
|---|---|
| Black and White | Not Significantly Different |
| White | Significantly Below Statewide Rate |
Statewide Rate (PA Residents Only) = 19.9
| Black | Significantly Above Statewide Rate |
|---|---|
| Black and White | Not Significantly Different |
| White | Significantly Below Statewide Rate |
Statewide Rate (PA Residents Only) = 19.9
| Black | Significantly Above Statewide Rate |
|---|---|
| Black and White | Not Significantly Different |
| White | Significantly Below Statewide Rate |
Statewide Rate (PA Residents Only) = 19.9
| Black | Significantly Above Statewide Rate |
|---|---|
| Black and White | Not Significantly Different |
| White | Significantly Below Statewide Rate |