There was a 12-year difference in the age at hospitalization for blacks with diabetes compared to whites. Blacks with bacterial pneumonia required hospitalization seven and a half years earlier.

"While the younger age at hospitalization was not necessarily surprising, the magnitude of the difference was indeed surprising," Ickovics said.

Significant racial disparities also existed for hospitalization with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and dehydration.

Smedley, who described the study as "very important," said that the results "point to structural inequities in our health care system, even at the same level of insurance."

"These are problems experienced more deeply by racial and ethnic minorities than they are by whites," Smedley said. "It tells us our health care system is failing African-Americans."

Source: American Journal of Preventive Medicine