TY - JOUR
T1 - Socioeconomic Factors Impact Colon Cancer Outcomes in Diverse Patient Populations
AU - Lee, Wendy
AU - Nelson, Rebecca
AU - Mailey, Brian
AU - Duldulao, Marjun Philip
AU - Garcia-Aguilar, Julio
AU - Kim, Joseph
PY - 2012/4
Y1 - 2012/4
N2 - Purpose: Cancer disparities among racial and ethnic groups are major public health concerns. Our objective was to examine the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on survival of colon cancer patients within major racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Patients with colon adenocarcinoma from Los Angeles County (LAC) were assessed. SES was utilized as an indicator of healthcare access and categorized by tertiles (high, middle, and low). Patient characteristics were compared and survival analyses were performed. Results: In our heterogeneous LAC cohort, we confirmed survival disparities. Asians had the best survival followed by Hispanics, whites, and blacks. For each stage of disease, Asians and Hispanics had better outcomes than whites and blacks. Then, we evaluated the impact of SES on survival within each racial and ethnic group. We observed significantly longer survival for high SES patients compared to middle and low SES patients for all racial/ethnic groups. Conclusions: While disparities across racial/ethnic groups are well-documented, our study is the first to identify socioeconomic disparities in survival for patients within the same group. These novel findings demonstrate the complex role of SES on race and ethnicity and identify the need to improve healthcare access even within select populations.
AB - Purpose: Cancer disparities among racial and ethnic groups are major public health concerns. Our objective was to examine the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on survival of colon cancer patients within major racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Patients with colon adenocarcinoma from Los Angeles County (LAC) were assessed. SES was utilized as an indicator of healthcare access and categorized by tertiles (high, middle, and low). Patient characteristics were compared and survival analyses were performed. Results: In our heterogeneous LAC cohort, we confirmed survival disparities. Asians had the best survival followed by Hispanics, whites, and blacks. For each stage of disease, Asians and Hispanics had better outcomes than whites and blacks. Then, we evaluated the impact of SES on survival within each racial and ethnic group. We observed significantly longer survival for high SES patients compared to middle and low SES patients for all racial/ethnic groups. Conclusions: While disparities across racial/ethnic groups are well-documented, our study is the first to identify socioeconomic disparities in survival for patients within the same group. These novel findings demonstrate the complex role of SES on race and ethnicity and identify the need to improve healthcare access even within select populations.
KW - Colon cancer
KW - Disparities
KW - Ethnicity
KW - Race
KW - Socioeconomic status
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U2 - 10.1007/s11605-011-1809-y
DO - 10.1007/s11605-011-1809-y
M3 - Article
C2 - 22258868
AN - SCOPUS:84862797821
SN - 1091-255X
VL - 16
SP - 692
EP - 704
JO - Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
JF - Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
IS - 4
ER -