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Caston NE, Waters AR, Williams CP, Biddell C, Spees L, Gallagher K, Angove R, Anderson E, Balch A, Wheeler S, Rocque GB. Patient-reported discrimination among limited-resourced cancer survivors: a brief report. J Psychosoc Oncol 2022; 41:630-641. [PMID: 36519613 PMCID: PMC10617020 DOI: 10.1080/07347332.2022.2154186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Healthcare discrimination has been associated with health disparities including lower cancer screenings, higher medical mistrust, and strained patient-provider relationships. Our study sought to understand patient-reported discrimination among cancer survivors with limited resources living in the United States. DESIGN AND METHODS We used cross-sectional survey data distributed by the Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) in 12/2020 and 07/2021. Respondents reported source and reason of healthcare discrimination. Age, sex, race and ethnicity, annual household income, Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA), Area Deprivation Index (ADI), employment status, cancer type, and number of comorbidities were independent variables of interest. The association between these variables and patient-reported healthcare discrimination was estimated using risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from a multivariable modified Poisson regression model with robust standard errors. FINDINGS A total of 587 cancer survivors were included in our analysis. Most respondents were female (72%) and aged ≥56 (62%); while 33% were Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color. Overall, 23% reported receipt of discrimination, with the majority reporting doctor, nurse, or healthcare provider as the source (58%). Most common reasons for discrimination included disease status (42%), income/ability to pay (36%), and race and ethnicity (17%). In the adjusted model, retired survivors were 62% less likely to report discrimination compared to those employed (RR 0.38; 95% CI 0.23-0.64). Additionally, survivors with ≥3 comorbidities were 86% more likely to report discrimination compared to those survivors with no non-cancer comorbidities (RR 1.86; 95% CI 1.26-2.72). IMPLICATIONS Cancer survivors with limited resources reported substantial discrimination most often from a healthcare provider and most commonly for disease status and income. Discrimination should be mitigated to provide equitable and high-quality cancer care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole E. Caston
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Austin R. Waters
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Courtney P. Williams
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Caitlin Biddell
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Lisa Spees
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | - Alan Balch
- Patient Advocate Foundation, Hampton, VA, USA
| | - Stephanie Wheeler
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Gabrielle B. Rocque
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, UAB, Birmingham, AL, USA
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