Care and survival of Mexican American women with node negative breast cancer: historical cohort evidence of health insurance and barrio advantages

Neighborhood Characteristics and Cancer Survivorship: An Overview of the Current Literature on Neighborhood Landscapes and Cancer Care

There is a growing literature on the association between neighborhood contexts and cancer survivorship. To understand the current trends and the gaps in the literature, we aimed to answer the following questions: To what degree, and how, has cancer survivorship research accounted for neighborhood-level effects? What neighborhood metrics have been used to operationalize neighborhood factors? To what degree do the neighborhood level metrics considered in cancer research reflect neighborhood development as identified in the Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) guidelines? We first conducted a review guided by PRISMA extension for scoping review of the extant literature on neighborhood effects and cancer survivorship outcomes from January 2000 to January 2021. Second, we categorized the studied neighborhood metrics under six main themes. Third, we assessed the findings based on the LEED-ND guidelines to identify the most relevant neighborhood metrics in association with areas of focus in cancer survivorship care and research. The search results were scoped to 291 relevant peer-reviewed journal articles. Results show that survivorship disparities, primary care, and weight management are the main themes in the literature. Additionally, most articles rely on neighborhood SES as the primary (or only) examined neighborhood level metric. We argue that the expansion of interdisciplinary research to include neighborhood metrics endorsed by current paradigms in salutogenic urban design can enhance the understanding of the role of socioecological context in survivorship care and outcomes.

Chinese enclave protections among married Chinese American women: exploratory secondary analysis of colon cancer survival

Objective: Like the barrio advantage theory related to Mexican Americans, a theory about the protective effects of Chinese American enclaves is developing. Such protections were examined among socioeconomically vulnerable people with colon cancer. Design: A colon cancer cohort established in California between 1995 and 2000, and followed until the enactment of the Affordable Care Act was utilized in this study. Secondary analysis was conducted on the 5-year survival among 127 Chinese Americans and 4524 other Americans (3810 non-Hispanic white and 714 Hispanic people). A third of the original cohort was selected from high poverty neighborhoods. Chinese American enclaves were neighborhoods where typically 25% or more of the residents were Chinese Americans. Effects were tested with Cox regressions and group differences described with age and stage-standardized survival rate ratios (RR). Results: Though they were less adequately insured, Chinese American women residing in Chinese American enclaves (63%) were more likely to survive than were other Americans (50%, RR = 1.26). The protective effect of being married was also larger for Chinese Americans (RR = 1.31) than for others (RR = 1.17). Chinese American women (61%) were more likely than men (46%) to live in such enclaves and a large enclave survival advantage was observed among Chinese American women only (RR = 1.59). Conclusions: There is consistent evidence of the relatively protected status of Chinese American women, particularly those who were married and resided in Chinese American enclaves. Mechanisms that explain their apparent advantages are not yet well understood, though relatively large, kin-based social networks seem instrumental. Research on the influence of social networks as well as the possible effects of acculturation is needed. This study also exposed structural inequities related to the institutions of marriage, health care and communities that disadvantage others. Policy makers ought to be aware of them as future reforms of American health care are considered.

California And The Changing American Narrative On Diversity, Race, And Health

The historical narrative on diversity, race, and health would predict that California's population change from 22 percent racial/ethnic minority in 1970 to 62 percent in 2016 would lead to a massive health crisis with high mortality rates, low life expectancy, and high infant mortality rates-particularly given the state's high rates of negative social determinants of health: poverty, high school incompletion, and uninsurance. We present data that suggest an alternative narrative: In spite of these negative factors, California has very low rates of mortality and infant mortality and long life expectancy. This alternative implies that racial diversity may offer opportunities for good health outcomes and that community agency may be a positive determinant. Using national-level mortality data on racial/ethnic groups, we suggest that new theoretical models and methods be developed to assist the US in achieving high-level wellness as it too becomes "majority minority."

Literature review of data-based models for identification of factors associated with racial disparities in breast cancer mortality

In the United States, early detection methods have contributed to the reduction of overall breast cancer mortality but this pattern has not been observed uniformly across all racial groups. A vast body of research literature shows a set of health care, socio-economic, biological, physical, and behavioural factors influencing the mortality disparity. In this paper, we review the modelling frameworks, statistical tests, and databases used in understanding influential factors, and we discuss the factors documented in the modelling literature. Our findings suggest that disparities research relies on conventional modelling and statistical tools for quantitative analysis, and there exist opportunities to implement data-based modelling frameworks for (1) exploring mechanisms triggering disparities, (2) increasing the collection of behavioural data, and (3) monitoring factors associated with the mortality disparity across time.

Disparities Report: Disparities Among Minority Women With Breast Cancer Living in Impoverished Areas of California

BACKGROUND

Interaction effects of poverty and health care insurance coverage on overall survival rates of breast cancer among women of color and non-Hispanic white women were explored.

METHODS

We analyzed California registry data for 2,024 women of color (black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or other ethnicity) and 4,276 non-Hispanic white women (Anglo-European ancestries and no Hispanic-Latin ethnic backgrounds) diagnosed with breast cancer between the years 1996 and 2000 who were then followed until 2011. The 2000 US census categorized rates of neighborhood poverty. Health care insurance coverage was either private, Medicare, Medicaid, or none. Cox regression was used to model rates of survival.

RESULTS

A 3-way interaction between ethnicity, health care insurance coverage, and poverty was observed. Women of color inadequately insured and living in poor or near-poor neighborhoods in California were the most disadvantaged. Women of color adequately insured and who lived in such neighborhoods in California were also disadvantaged. The incomes of such women of color were typically lower than the incomes of non-Hispanic white women.

CONCLUSIONS

Women of color with or without insurance coverage are disadvantaged in poor and near-poor neighborhoods of California. Such women may be less able to bare the indirect, direct, or uncovered costs of health care for breast cancer treatment.

What Prevents Men Aged 40-64 Years from Prostate Cancer Screening in Namibia?

Objectives. Although a growing body of evidence demonstrates the public health burden of prostate cancer in SSA, relatively little is known about the underlying factors surrounding the low levels of testing for the disease in the context of this region. Using Namibia Demographic Health Survey dataset (NDHS, 2013), we examined the factors that influence men's decision to screen for prostate cancer in Namibia. Methods. We use complementary log-log regression models to explore the determinants of screening for prostate cancer. We also corrected for the effect of unobserved heterogeneity that may affect screening behaviours at the cluster level. Results. The results show that health insurance coverage (OR = 2.95, p = 0.01) is an important predictor of screening for prostate cancer in Namibia. In addition, higher education and discussing reproductive issues with a health worker (OR = 2.02, p = 0.05) were more likely to screening for prostate cancer. Conclusions. A universal health insurance scheme may be necessary to increase uptake of prostate cancer screening. However it needs to be acknowledged that expanded screening can have negative consequences and any allocation of scarce resources towards screening must be guided by evidence obtained from the local context about the costs and benefits of screening.

Multiplicative disadvantage of being an unmarried and inadequately insured woman living in poverty with colon cancer: historical cohort exploration in California

BACKGROUND

Many Americans diagnosed with colon cancer do not receive indicated chemotherapy. Certain unmarried women may be particularly disadvantaged. A 3-way interaction of the multiplicative disadvantages of being an unmarried and inadequately insured woman living in poverty was explored.

METHODS

California registry data were analyzed for 2,319 women diagnosed with stage II to IV colon cancer between 1996 and 2000 and followed until 2014. Socioeconomic data from the 2000 census classified neighborhoods as high poverty (≥30% of households poor), middle (5-29%) or low poverty (<5% poor). Primary health insurance was private, Medicare, Medicaid or none. Comparisons of chemotherapy rates used standardized rate ratios (RR). We respectively used logistic and Cox regression models to assess chemotherapy and survival.

RESULTS

A statistically significant 3-way marital status by health insurance by poverty interaction effect on chemotherapy receipt was observed. Chemotherapy rates did not differ between unmarried (39.0%) and married (39.7%) women who lived in lower poverty neighborhoods and were privately insured. But unmarried women (27.3%) were 26% less likely to receive chemotherapy than were married women (37.1%, RR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.58, 0.95) who lived in high poverty neighborhoods and were publicly insured or uninsured. When this interaction and the main effects of health insurance, poverty and chemotherapy were accounted for, survival did not differ by marital status.

CONCLUSIONS

The multiplicative barrier to colon cancer care that results from being inadequately insured and living in poverty is worse for unmarried than married women. Poverty is more prevalent among unmarried women and they have fewer assets so they are probably less able to absorb the indirect and direct, but uncovered, costs of colon cancer care. There seem to be structural inequities related to the institutions of marriage, work and health care that particularly disadvantage unmarried women that policy makers ought to be cognizant of as future reforms of the American health care system are considered.

Can economic deprivation protect health? Paradoxical multilevel effects of poverty on Hispanic children's wheezing

Prior research suggests that economic deprivation has a generally negative influence on residents’ health. We employ hierarchical logistic regression modeling to test if economic deprivation presents respiratory health risks or benefits to Hispanic children living in the City of El Paso (Texas, USA) at neighborhood- and individual-levels, and whether individual-level health effects of economic deprivation vary based on neighborhood-level economic deprivation. Data come from the US Census Bureau and a population-based survey of El Paso schoolchildren. The dependent variable is children’s current wheezing, an established respiratory morbidity measure, which is appropriate for use with economically-deprived children with an increased likelihood of not receiving a doctor’s asthma diagnosis. Results reveal that economic deprivation (measured based on poverty status) at both neighborhood- and individual-levels is associated with reduced odds of wheezing for Hispanic children. A sensitivity analysis revealed similar significant effects of individual- and neighborhood-level poverty on the odds of doctor-diagnosed asthma. Neighborhood-level poverty did not significantly modify the observed association between individual-level poverty and Hispanic children’s wheezing; however, greater neighborhood poverty tends to be more protective for poor (as opposed to non-poor) Hispanic children. These findings support a novel, multilevel understanding of seemingly paradoxical effects of economic deprivation on Hispanic health.

Lack of access to chemotherapy for colon cancer: multiplicative disadvantage of being extremely poor, inadequately insured and African American

Background

Despite evidence of chemotherapy’s ability to cure or comfort those with colon cancer, nearly half of such Americans do not receive it. African Americans (AA) seem particularly disadvantaged. An ethnicity by poverty by health insurance interaction was hypothesized such that the multiplicative disadvantage of being extremely poor and inadequately insured is worse for AAs than for non-Hispanic white Americans (NHWA).

Methods

California registry data were analyzed for 459 AAs and 3,001 NHWAs diagnosed with stage II to IV colon cancer between 1996 and 2000 and followed until 2011. Socioeconomic data from the 2000 census categorized neighborhoods: extremely poor (≥ 30% of households poor), middle (5-29% poor) and low poverty (< 5% poor). Participants were randomly selected from these poverty strata. Primary health insurers were Medicaid, Medicare, private or none. Chemotherapy rates were age and stage-adjusted and comparisons used standardized rate ratios (RR). Logistic and Cox regressions, respectively, modeled chemotherapy receipt and long term survival.

Results

A significant 3-way ethnicity by poverty by health insurance interaction effect on chemotherapy receipt was observed. Among those who did not live in extremely poor neighborhoods and were adequately insured privately or by Medicare, chemotherapy rates did not differ significantly between AAs (37.7%) and NHWAs (39.5%). Among those who lived in extremely poor neighborhoods and were inadequately insured by Medicaid or uninsured, AAs (14.6%) were nearly 60% less likely to receive chemotherapy than were NHWAs (25.5%, RR = 0.41). When the 3-way interaction effect as well as the main effects of poverty, health insurance and chemotherapy was accounted for, survival rates of AAs and NHWAs were the same.

Conclusions

The multiplicative barrier to colon cancer care that results from being extremely poor and inadequately insured is worse for AAs than it is for NHWAs. AAs are more prevalently poor, inadequately insured, and have fewer assets so they are probably less able to absorb the indirect and direct, but uncovered, costs of colon cancer care. Policy makers ought to be cognizant of these factors as they implement the Affordable Care Act and consider future health care reforms.