scholarly journals The effect of insurance status on overall survival among children and adolescents with cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 1366-1377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyan Wang ◽  
Rohit P Ojha ◽  
Sonia Partap ◽  
Kimberly J Johnson

Abstract Background Differences in access, delivery and utilisation of health care may impact childhood and adolescent cancer survival. We evaluated whether insurance coverage impacts survival among US children and adolescents with cancer diagnoses, overall and by age group, and explored potential mechanisms. Methods Data from 58 421 children (aged ≤14 years) and adolescents (15–19 years), diagnosed with cancer from 2004 to 2010, were obtained from the National Cancer Database. We examined associations between insurance status at initial diagnosis or treatment and diagnosis stage; any treatment received; and mortality using logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards (PH) regression, restricted mean survival time (RMST) and mediation analyses. Results Relative to privately insured individuals, the hazard of death (all-cause) was increased and survival months were decreased in those with Medicaid [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22 to 1.33; and −1.73 months, 95% CI: −2.07 to −1.38] and no insurance (HR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.20 to 1.46; and −2.13 months, 95% CI: −2.91 to −1.34). The HR for Medicaid vs. private insurance was larger (pinteraction <0.001) in adolescents (HR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.41 to 1.64) than children (HR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.23). Despite statistical evidence violation of the PH assumption, RMST results supported all interpretations. Earlier diagnosis for staged cancers in the Medicaid and uninsured populations accounted for an estimated 13% and 19% of the survival deficit, respectively, vs. the privately insured population. Any treatment received did not account for insurance-associated survival differences in children and adolescents with cancer. Conclusions Children and adolescents without private insurance had a higher risk of death and shorter survival within 5 years following cancer diagnosis. Additional research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms.

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 325-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaoyi Chen ◽  
Jae Min ◽  
Jiang Bian ◽  
Mo Wang ◽  
Le Zhou ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the independent contribution of insurance status toward the risk of diagnosis of specific clinical comorbidities for individuals admitted to intensive care unit (ICU).DesignRetrospective analysis of secondary database.SettingTen years of public de-identified ICU electronic medical records from a large hospital in USA.ParticipantsPatients (18–65 years old) who had private insurance or no insurance were extracted from the database.Main outcome measuresIndependent association of insurance status (uninsured vs. privately insured) with the risk of diagnosis of specific clinical comorbidities.ResultsAmong 14 268 (from 11 753 patients) admissions to ICU between 2001 and 2012, 96% of them were covered by private insurance. Patients with private insurance had higher proportion of females, married, White race, longer ICU stay and more procedures during stay, and fewer deaths. A lower CCI was observed in uninsured patients. At multivariable analysis, uninsured patients had higher odds of death and of admissions for accidental falls, substance or alcohol abuse.ConclusionsPatients with no insurance coverage were at higher risk of death and of admission for physical and substance-related injury. We did not observe a higher risk for acute life-threatening diseases such as myocardial infarction or kidney failure. The lower CCI observed in the uninsured may be explained by under diagnosis or voluntary withdrawal from coverage in the pre-Affordable Care Act era. Replication of findings is warranted in other populations, among those with government-subsidized insurance and in the procedure/prescription domains.


Sarcoma ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie L. Koenig ◽  
C. Jillian Tsai ◽  
Katherine Sborov ◽  
Kathleen C. Horst ◽  
Erqi L. Pollom

Private insurance is associated with better outcomes in multiple common cancers. We hypothesized that insurance status would significantly impact outcomes in primary breast sarcoma (PBS) due to the additional challenges of diagnosing and coordinating specialized care for a rare cancer. Using the National Cancer Database, we identified adult females diagnosed with PBS between 2004 and 2013. The influence of insurance status on overall survival (OS) was evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier estimator with log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazard models. Among a cohort of 607 patients, 67 (11.0%) had Medicaid, 217 (35.7%) had Medicare, and 323 (53.2%) had private insurance. Compared to privately insured patients, Medicaid patients were more likely to present with larger tumors and have their first surgical procedure further after diagnosis. Treatment was similar between patients with comparable disease stage. In multivariate analysis, Medicaid (hazard ratio (HR), 2.47; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.62–3.77; p<0.001) and Medicare (HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.10–2.57; p=0.017) were independently associated with worse OS. Medicaid insurance coverage negatively impacted survival compared to private insurance more in breast sarcoma than in breast carcinoma (interaction p<0.001). In conclusion, patients with Medicaid insurance present with later stage disease and have worse overall survival than privately insured patients with PBS. Worse outcomes for Medicaid patients are exacerbated in this rare cancer.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 6532-6532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Adams Greenup ◽  
Samantha Marie Thomas ◽  
Oluwadamilola Motunrayo Fayanju ◽  
Terry Hyslop ◽  
Eun-Sil Shelley Hwang

6532 Background: Health insurance can influence utilization of cancer care. We sought to determine whether insurance status impacts treatment patterns and survival in women with stage 0-IV breast cancer. Methods: Women ages 18-69 years old, diagnosed with unilateral stage 0-IV breast cancer between 2004 and 2014 were selected from the National Cancer Data Base. Insurance status was categorized as Private, Medicare (65+ yo), Medicare (18-64 yo), Medicaid, or Uninsured. After adjustment for known covariates, generalized and binary logistic regression were used to estimate the association of insurance type with receipt of treatment. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the association of insurance status with overall survival. Results: A total of 610,450 women met inclusion criteria. Median age was 56 (48-63). Insurance status included: 72.1% Privately insured, 13.9% Medicare 65+, 4.8% Medicare 18-64, 7.1% Medicaid, and 2.1% Uninsured. Women with private insurance were more likely to present with stage 1 breast cancer, and less likely to present with stage 4 disease when compared to Medicaid or Uninsured patients (stage 1: 63.4%, 49.4%, 48.2%, p < 0.01; stage IV: 0.8%, 1.8%, 2.1%, p < 0.01). Risk of death was higher in uninsured or Medicaid patients when compared to those with private insurance (HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.41-1.64; HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.52-1.68). Receipt of chemotherapy and radiation did not differ between Medicaid, Uninsured, or Privately insured patients, but women without private insurance were more likely to receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.09-1.19; OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07-1.25, respectively, p < 0.01). Uninsured women were more likely to undergo mastectomy without reconstruction (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.49-1.65), and less likely to undergo unilateral or bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction than lumpectomy and radiation (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.53-0.61; OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.32-0.39). Conclusions: Stage at diagnosis and risk of death were higher in Medicaid and uninsured breast cancer patients when compared to those with private insurance. Insurance status did not predict differences in receipt of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation but did affect oncologic outcomes.


1999 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 2244-2244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Boyd ◽  
Jina Y. Zhang-Salomons ◽  
Patti A. Groome ◽  
William J. Mackillop

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to compare the magnitude of the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and cancer survival in the Canadian province of Ontario with that in the United States (U.S.), and (2) to compare cancer survival in communities with similar SES in Ontario and in the U.S. METHODS: The Ontario Cancer Registry provided information about all cases of invasive cancer diagnosed in Ontario from 1987 to 1992, and the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Registry (SEER) provided information about all cases diagnosed in the SEER regions of the U.S. during the same time period. Census data provided information about SES at the community level. The product-limit method was used to describe cause-specific survival. Cox proportional hazards models were used to describe the association between SES and the risk of death from cancer. RESULTS: There were significant associations between SES and survival for most cancer sites in both the U.S. and Ontario, but the magnitude of the association was usually larger in the U.S. In the poorest communities, there were significant survival advantages in favor of cancer patients in Ontario for many disease groups, including cancers of the lung, head and neck region, cervix, and uterus. However, in upper- and middle-income communities, there were significant survival advantages in favor of the U.S. for all cases combined and for several individual diseases, including cancers of the breast, colon and rectum, prostate, and bladder. CONCLUSION: The association between SES and cancer survival is weaker in Ontario than it is in the U.S. This is due to a combination of better survival among patients in the poorest communities and worse survival among patients in the wealthier communities of Ontario relative to those in the U.S.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (22) ◽  
pp. 3627-3633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony S. Robbins ◽  
Alexandre L. Pavluck ◽  
Stacey A. Fedewa ◽  
Amy Y. Chen ◽  
Elizabeth M. Ward

Purpose Previous analyses have found that insurance status is a strong predictor of survival among patients with colorectal cancer aged 18 to 64 years. We investigated whether differences in comorbidity level may account in part for the association between insurance status and survival. Methods We used 2003 to 2005 data from the National Cancer Data Base, a national hospital-based cancer registry, to examine the relationship between baseline characteristics and overall survival at 1 year among 64,304 white and black patients with colorectal cancer. In race-specific analyses, we used Cox proportional hazards models to assess 1-year survival by insurance status, controlling first for age, stage, facility type, and neighborhood education level and income, and then further controlling for comorbidity level. Results Comorbidity level was lowest among those with private insurance, higher for those who were uninsured or insured by Medicaid, and highest for those insured by Medicare. Survival at 1 year was significantly poorer for patients without private insurance, even after adjusting for important covariates. In these multivariate models, risk of death at 1 year was approximately 50% to 90% higher for white and black patients without private insurance. Further adjustment for number of comorbidities had only a modest impact on the association between insurance status and survival. In multivariate analyses, patients with ≥ three comorbid conditions had approximately 40% to 50% higher risk of death at 1 year. Conclusion Among white and black patients aged 18 to 64 years, differences in comorbidity level do not account for the association between insurance status and survival in patients with colorectal cancer.


2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Briffa ◽  
Christopher J. Hammett ◽  
David B. Cross ◽  
Andrew I. Macisaac ◽  
James M. Rankin ◽  
...  

Objective The aim of the present study was to explore the association of health insurance status on the provision of guideline-advocated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) care in Australia. Methods Consecutive hospitalisations of suspected ACS from 14 to 27 May 2012 enrolled in the Snapshot study of Australian and New Zealand patients were evaluated. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association of patient risk and insurance status with the receipt of care. Results In all, 3391 patients with suspected ACS from 247 hospitals (23 private) were enrolled in the present study. One-third of patients declared private insurance coverage; of these, 27.9% (304/1088) presented to private facilities. Compared with public patients, privately insured patients were more likely to undergo in-patient echocardiography and receive early angiography; furthermore, in those with a discharge diagnosis of ACS, there was a higher rate of revascularisation (P < 0.001). Each of these attracts potential fee-for-service. In contrast, proportionately fewer privately insured ACS patients were discharged on selected guideline therapies and were referred to a secondary prevention program (P = 0.056), neither of which directly attracts a fee. Typically, as GRACE (the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) risk score rose, so did the level of ACS care; however, propensity-adjusted analyses showed lower in-hospital adverse events among the insured group (odds ratio 0.68; 95% confidence interval 0.52–0.88; P = 0.004). Conclusion Fee-for-service reimbursement may explain differences in the provision of selected guideline-advocated components of ACS care between privately insured and public patients. What is known about this topic? There is variation in the pattern of acute coronary syndrome care across Australia. What does this paper add? Clear differences in the provision of selected proven therapies for acute coronary syndrome apply independent of whether a fee is charged or not. What are the implications for practitioners? Consideration should be given to the remuneration for proven therapies for acute coronary syndrome care in preference to those not supported by the evidence base.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 19-19
Author(s):  
Mohamed E. Salem ◽  
Sally Jeanne Trufan ◽  
James Thomas Symanowski ◽  
Kunal C. Kadakia ◽  
Alberto Puccini ◽  
...  

19 Background: SES has been associated with outcomes in cancer patients (pts). We examined associations between SES and survival of pts with colorectal cancers (CRC). Methods: The NCDB was used to examine the association of SES status with clinicopathological features and outcomes of colorectal cancer pts, categorized by the income and education level of their area of residence. Logistic regression, Cox proportional hazard model, and chi-square test were used to examine the differences between groups. Results: A retrospective analysis of 890,867 pts with CRC (right-sided 34.1%, transverse 11.9%, left-sided 46.2%, and rectal 7.8%) diagnosed between 2004 and 2016, was conducted. About half the pts were male (51.4%); 84.3% were white, 11.2% black, and 4.5% of other races. Overall, 30.8% of pts lived in the highest and 18.4% in the lowest income areas. Twenty-three percent lived in areas comprising the highest high school graduation rate areas (>93%), while 17.4% lived in the lowest (< 79%). Compared to pts living in high-income areas, pts living in the lowest income areas were more likely to be black (OR 6.2, 6.1-6.3), present at a younger age (18-30 yrs vs. >70 yrs; OR 1.28, 1.18-1.39), have T3/T4 disease at presentation (OR 1.03, 95%CI 1.02-1.04), left-sided tumors (OR 1.05, 1.04-1.06), higher Charlson-Deyo score (OR 1.34, 1.33-1.36), and have Medicaid (OR: 3.9, 3.8-4.0) or no health insurance (OR: 2.9, 2.8-3.0). Tumor location and grade, stage, age, sex, race, ethnicity, income, education, insurance status, Charlson-Deyo score, and type of treatment center were independent predictors for survival in the multivariate analysis. Pts living in the lowest income and lowest education areas had a 13% and 4% higher risk of death, respectively, compared to pts in the highest income areas and education areas. Black pts had a 7% increased risk of death. Pts with Medicaid and no insurance coverage had a 44% and 29% increased risk of death, respectively, compared to pts with private insurance. Conclusions: CRC pts living in areas of low income and low education had worse survival. Insurance status and type of treatment center also have a strong impact on survival. Sociodemographic characteristics need to be taken into account and studied further, with the aim of improving outcomes for all pts. [Table: see text]


Author(s):  
Alejandro Márquez-Salinas ◽  
Carlos A Fermín-Martínez ◽  
Neftalí Eduardo Antonio-Villa ◽  
Arsenio Vargas-Vázquez ◽  
Enrique C. Guerra ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Chronological age (CA) is a predictor of adverse COVID-19 outcomes; however, CA alone does not capture individual responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we evaluated the influence of aging metrics PhenoAge and PhenoAgeAccel to predict adverse COVID-19 outcomes. Furthermore, we sought to model adaptive metabolic and inflammatory responses to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection using individual PhenoAge components. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we assessed cases admitted to a COVID-19 reference center in Mexico City. PhenoAge and PhenoAgeAccel were estimated using laboratory values at admission. Cox proportional hazards models were fitted to estimate risk for COVID-19 lethality and adverse outcomes (ICU admission, intubation, or death). To explore reproducible patterns which model adaptive responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection, we used k-means clustering using PhenoAge components. Results We included 1068 subjects of whom 222 presented critical illness and 218 died. PhenoAge was a better predictor of adverse outcomes and lethality compared to CA and SpO2 and its predictive capacity was sustained for all age groups. Patients with responses associated to PhenoAgeAccel&gt;0 had higher risk of death and critical illness compared to those with lower values (log-rank p&lt;0.001). Using unsupervised clustering we identified four adaptive responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection: 1) Inflammaging associated with CA, 2) metabolic dysfunction associated with cardio-metabolic comorbidities, 3) unfavorable hematological response, and 4) response associated with favorable outcomes. Conclusions Adaptive responses related to accelerated aging metrics are linked to adverse COVID-19 outcomes and have unique and distinguishable features. PhenoAge is a better predictor of adverse outcomes compared to CA.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 161-161
Author(s):  
Jane Banaszak-Holl ◽  
Xiaoping Lin ◽  
Jing Xie ◽  
Stephanie Ward ◽  
Henry Brodaty ◽  
...  

Abstract Research Aims: This study seeks to understand whether those with dementia experience higher risk of death, using data from the ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) clinical trial study. Methods: ASPREE was a primary intervention trial of low-dose aspirin among healthy older people. The Australian cohort included 16,703 dementia-free participants aged 70 years and over at enrolment. Participants were triggered for dementia adjudication if cognitive test results were poorer than expected, self-reporting dementia diagnosis or memory problems, or dementia medications were detected. Incidental dementia was adjudicated by an international adjudication committee using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria and results of a neuropsychological battery and functional measures with medical record substantiation. Statistical analyses used a cox proportional hazards model. Results: As previously reported, 1052 participants (5.5%) died during a median of 4.7 years of follow-up and 964 participants had a dementia trigger, of whom, 575 (60%) were adjucated as having dementia. Preliminary analyses has shown that the mortality rate was higher among participants with a dementia trigger, regardless of dementia adjudication outcome, than those without (15% vs 5%, Χ2 = 205, p &lt;.001). Conclusion: This study will provide important analyses of differences in the hazard ratio for mortality and causes of death among people with and without cognitive impairment and has important implications on service planning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 10045-10045
Author(s):  
AnnaLynn M. Williams ◽  
Jeanne S. Mandelblatt ◽  
Mingjuan Wang ◽  
Kirsten K. Ness ◽  
Gregory T. Armstrong ◽  
...  

10045 Background: Survivors of childhood cancer have functional limitations and health-related morbidity consistent with an accelerated aging phenotype. We characterized aging using a Deficit Accumulation Index (DAI) which examines the accumulation of multiple aging-related deficits readily available from medical records and self-report. DAI’s are used as surrogates of biologic aging and are validated to predict mortality in adult cancer patients. Methods: We included childhood cancer survivors (N = 3,758, mean age 30 [SD 8], 22 [9] years post diagnosis, 52% male) and community controls (N = 575, mean age 34 [10] 44% male) who completed clinical assessments and questionnaires and who were followed for mortality through December 31st, 2018 (mean follow-up 6.1 [3.1] years). Using the initial SJLIFE clinical assessment, a DAI score was generated as the proportion of deficits out of 44 items related to aging, including chronic conditions (e.g. hearing loss, hypertension), psychosocial and physical function, and activities of daily living. The total score ranged 0 to 1; scores > 0.20 are robust, while moderate and large clinically meaningful differences are 0.02 and 0.06, respectively. Linear regression compared the DAI in survivors and controls with an age*survivor/control interaction and examined treatment associations in survivors. Cox-proportional hazards models estimated risk of death associated with DAI. All models were adjusted for age, sex, and race. Results: Mean [SD] of DAI was 0.17 [0.11] for survivors and 0.10 [0.08] for controls. 32% of survivors had a DAI above the 90th percentile of the control distribution (p < 0.001). After adjustment for covariates, survivors had a statistically and clinically meaningfully higher DAI score than controls (β = 0.072 95%CI 0.062, 0.081; p < 0.001). When plotted against age, the adjusted DAI at the average age of survivors (30 years) was 0.166 (95% CI 0.160,0.171), which corresponded to 60 years of age in controls, suggesting premature aging of 30 years. The mean difference in DAI between survivors and controls increased with age from 0.06 (95% CI 0.04, 0.07) at age 20 to 0.11 (95% CI 0.08, 0.13) at age 60, consistent with an accelerated aging phenotype (p = 0.014). Cranial radiation, abdominal radiation, cyclophosphamide, platinum agents, neurosurgery, and amputation were each associated with a higher DAI (all p≤0.001). Among survivors, a 0.06 increase in DAI was associated with a 41% increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.41 95%CI 1.32, 1.50; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Survivors of childhood cancer experience significant age acceleration that is associated with an increased risk of mortality; longitudinal analyses are underway to validate these findings. Given the ease of estimating a DAI, this may be a feasible method to quickly identify survivors for novel and tailored interventions that can improve health and prevent premature mortality.


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