Uninsurance Plays Major Role in Racial Disparities Seen in Cancer Diagnosis

FRIDAY, Nov. 1, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Lack of health insurance coverage accounts for a considerable proportion of racial and ethnic disparities in advanced-stage diagnoses of cancer, according to a study published online Oct. 30 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Parichoy Pal Choudhury, Ph.D., from the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, and colleagues examined the potential mediating role of health insurance in explaining racial and ethnic disparities in diagnosis at stage III to IV of 10 cancers detectable early through screening, physical examination, or clinical symptoms using the National Cancer Database (1,893,026 patients aged 18 to 64 years; diagnosed between 2013 and 2019).

The researchers observed evidence of mediation by insurance of non-Hispanic Black versus White, Hispanic versus non-Hispanic White, and non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander versus White disparities in eight, six, and three cancers, respectively (range of proportions mediated: 4.5 to 29.1 percent; 13.2 to 68.8 percent; and 5.8 to 11.3 percent, respectively).

"Securing health insurance for everyone is critical," Choudhury said in a statement. "This would result in improved access to health care that could lead to a reduction of racial and ethnic disparities in the stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis and consequently racial and ethnic disparities in cancer survival."

Abstract/Full Text