Financial burden among metastatic breast cancer patients: a qualitative inquiry of costs, financial assistance, health insurance, and financial coping behaviors.

PURPOSE: Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients often face substantial financial burden due to prolonged and expensive therapy. However, in-depth experiences of financial burden among MBC patients are not well understood. METHODS: Qualitative interviews were conducted to describe the experiences of financial burden for MBC patients, focusing on the drivers of financial burden, their experience using their health insurance, accessing financial assistance, and any resulting cost-coping behaviors. Interviews were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed using a descriptive phenomenological approach to thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of n = 11 MBC patients or caregiver representatives participated in the study. MBC patients were on average 50.2 years of age (range: 28-65) and 72.7% non-Hispanic White. MBC patients were diagnosed as metastatic an average of 3.1 years (range: 1-9) before participating in the study. Qualitative analysis resulted in four themes including (1) causes of financial burden, (2) financial assistance mechanisms, (3) health insurance and financial burden, and (4) cost-coping behaviors. Both medical and non-medical costs drove financial burden among participants. All participants reported challenges navigating their health insurance and applying for financial assistance. Regardless of gaining access to assistance, financial burden persisted for nearly all patients and resulted in cost-coping behaviors. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that current systems for health insurance and financial assistance are complex and difficult to meet patient needs. Even when MBC patients accessed assistance, excess financial burden persisted necessitating use of financial coping-behaviors such as altering medication use, maintaining employment, and taking on debt.

LGBTQ+ cancer: priority or lip service? A qualitative content analysis of LGBTQ+ considerations in U.S. state, jurisdiction, and tribal comprehensive cancer control plans.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded program, supports cancer coalitions across the United States (US) in efforts to prevent and control cancer including development of comprehensive cancer control (CCC) plans. CCC plans often focus health equity within their priorities, but it is unclear to what extent lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, plus (LGBTQ+) populations are considered in CCC plans. We qualitatively examined to what extent LGBTQ+ populations were referenced in 64 U.S. state, jurisdiction, tribes, and tribal organization CCC plans. A total of 55% of CCC plans mentioned LGBTQ+ populations, however, only one in three CCC plans mentioned any kind of LGBTQ+ inequity or LGBTQ+ specific recommendations. Even fewer plans included mention of LGBTQ+ specific resources, organizations, or citations. At the same time almost three fourths of plans conflated sex and gender throughout their CCC plans. The findings of this study highlight the lack of prioritization of LGBTQ+ populations in CCC plans broadly while highlighting exemplar plans that can serve as a roadmap to more inclusive future CCC plans. Comprehensive cancer control plans can serve as a key policy and advocacy structure to promote a focus on LGBTQ+ cancer prevention and control.

Inclusion of marginalized populations in HPV vaccine modeling: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Models simulating the potential impacts of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine have been used globally to guide vaccination policies and programs. We sought to understand how and why marginalized populations have been incorporated into HPV vaccine simulation models. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Embase to identify studies using simulation models of HPV vaccination incorporating one or more marginalized population through stratification or subgroup analysis. We extracted data on study characteristics and described these overall and by included marginalized groups. RESULTS: We identified 36 studies that met inclusion criteria, which modeled vaccination in 21 countries. Models included men who have sex with men (MSM; k = 16), stratification by HIV status (k = 9), race/ethnicity (k = 6), poverty (k = 5), rurality (k = 4), and female sex workers (k = 1). When evaluating for a marginalized group (k = 10), HPV vaccination was generally found to be cost-effective, including for MSM, individuals living with HIV, and rural populations. In studies evaluating equity in cancer prevention (k = 9), HPV vaccination generally advanced equity, but this was sensitive to differences in HPV vaccine uptake and use of absolute or relative measures of inequities. Only one study assessed the impact of an intervention promoting HPV vaccine uptake. DISCUSSION: Incorporating marginalized populations into decision models can provide valuable insights to guide decision making and improve equity in cancer prevention. More research is needed to understand the equity impact of HPV vaccination on cancer outcomes among marginalized groups. Research should emphasize implementation - including identifying and evaluating specific interventions to increase HPV vaccine uptake.

Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening by Sexual Orientation Among Low-Income Women in North Carolina.

We sought to examine cervical cancer screening barriers by sexual orientation among low-income women in North Carolina. The MyBodyMyTest-3 Trial recruited low-income women (< 250% of federal poverty level) aged 25-64 years who were 1+ year overdue for cervical cancer screening. We compared perceptions of cervical cancer screening among those who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer (LGBQ; n = 70) to straight/heterosexual women (n = 683). For both LGBQ and straight respondents, the greatest barriers to screening were lack of health insurance (63% and 66%) and cost (49% and 50%). LGBQ respondents were more likely than straight respondents to report forgetting to screen (16% vs. 8%, p = .05), transportation barriers (10% vs. 2%, p = .001), and competing mental or physical health problems (39% vs. 27%, p = .10). Addressing access remains important for improving cervical cancer screening among those under-screened. For LGBQ women, additional attention may be needed for reminders, co-occurring health needs, and transportation barriers.

A Cost Analysis of Rethink the Strip: De-implementing a Low-value Practice in Primary Care.

BACKGROUND: Routine self-monitoring of blood glucose is a low-value practice that provides limited benefit for patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus. OBJECTIVES: We estimated the costs of Rethink the Strip (RTS), a multistrategy approach to the de-implementation of self-monitoring of blood glucose in primary care. RESEARCH DESIGN: RTS was conducted among 20 primary care clinics in North Carolina. We estimated the non-site-based and site-based costs of the 5 RTS strategies (practice facilitation, audit and feedback, provider champions, educational meetings, and educational materials) from the analytic perspective of an integrated health care system for 12 and 27-month time horizons. Material costs were tracked through project records, and personnel costs were assessed using activity-based costing. We used nationally based wage estimates. RESULTS: Total RTS costs equaled $68,941 for 12 months. Specifically, non-site-based costs comprised $16,560. Most non-site-based costs ($11,822) were from the foundational programming and coding updates to the electronic health record data to develop the audit and feedback reports. The non-site-based costs of educational meetings, practice facilitation, and educational materials were substantially lower, ranging between ~$400 and $1000. Total 12-month site-based costs equaled $2569 for a single clinic (or $52,381 for 20 clinics). Educational meetings were the most expensive strategy, averaging $1401 per clinic. The site-based costs for the 4 other implementation strategies were markedly lower, ranging between $51 for educational materials and $555 for practice facilitation per clinic. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides detailed cost information for implementation strategies used to support evidence-based programs in primary care clinics.

Financial burden and recommended multilevel solutions among caregivers of pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: The healthcare costs of patients who receive hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are substantial. At the same time, the increasing use of pediatric HSCT leaves more caregivers of pediatric HSCT recipients at risk for financial burden-an understudied area of research. METHODS: Financial burden experienced by caregivers of recipients who received autologous or allogeneic transplants was assessed using an explanatory mixed-methods design including a one-time survey and semi-structured interviews. Financial burden was assessed through an adapted COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity (COST) as well as questions about the types of out-of-pocket costs and cost-coping behaviors. Chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests were used to assess differences in costs incurred and coping behaviors by financial toxicity and financial toxicity by demographic factors. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using directed content analysis. RESULTS: Of 99 survey participants, 64% experienced high financial toxicity (COST  ≤ $ \le \;$ 22). Caregivers with high financial toxicity were more likely to report costs related to transportation and diet. High financial toxicity was associated with nearly all cost-coping behaviors (e.g., borrowed money). High financial toxicity was also associated with increased use of hospital financial support and transportation assistance. Qualitative analysis resulted in four categories that were integrated with quantitative findings: (1) care-related out-of-pocket costs incurred, (2) cost-coping behaviors, (3) financial support resources used, and (4) multilevel recommendations for reducing financial burden. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the substantial, long-term financial burden among pediatric HSCT patients and their caregivers, this population would benefit from adapted and tailored financial burden interventions.

Testing and extending strategies for identifying genetic disease-related encounters in pediatric patients.

PURPOSE: To better understand health care utilization and develop decision support tools, methods for identifying patients with suspected genetic diseases (GDs) are needed. Previous studies had identified inpatient-relevant International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes that were possibly, probably, or definitely indicative of GDs. We assessed whether these codes identified GD-related inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department encounters among pediatric patients with suspected GDs from a previous study (the North Carolina Clinical Genomic Evaluation by Next-Generation Exome Sequencing [NCGENES] study). METHODS: Using the electronic medical records of 140 pediatric patients from the NCGENES study, we characterized the presence of ICD codes representing possible, probable, or definite GD-related diagnoses across encounter types. In addition, we examined codes from encounters for which initially no GD-related codes had been found and determined whether these codes were indicative of a GD. RESULTS: Among NCGENES patients with visits between 2014 and 2017, 92% of inpatient, 75% of emergency department, and 63% of outpatient encounters included ≥1 GD-related code. Encounters with highly specific (ie, definite) GD codes had fewer low-specificity GD codes than encounters with only low-specificity GD codes. We identified an additional 32 ICD-9 and 56 ICD-10 codes possibly indicative of a GD. CONCLUSION: Code-based strategies can be refined to assess health care utilization among pediatric patients and may contribute to a systematic approach to identify patients with suspected GDs.

Prevalence of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus by RNA Assay in Home Self-Collected Samples Among Underscreened People in North Carolina.

BACKGROUND: Low-income and uninsured people with a cervix (PWC) are at the highest risk of being underscreened for cervical cancer. We evaluated the prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) on home self-collected samples, as well as rates of in-clinic follow-up and risk factors associated with hrHPV positivity in this at-risk population. METHODS: My Body My Test 3 was conducted between 2016 and 2019 in North Carolina among individuals aged 25 to 64 years, overdue for cervical cancer screening, and with incomes of <250% of the US Federal Poverty Level. Our analytic sample included participants randomized to the self-collection arm who returned self-collected cervicovaginal brush samples for HPV testing (n = 329). Samples were tested for 14 hrHPV types by an HPV RNA assay and further genotyped for HPV-16 and HPV-18/45. We examined behavioral risk factors for hrHPV positivity using logistic regression and between-subject t tests. RESULTS: High-risk HPV RNA prevalence was 16% (n = 52/329) in self-collected samples. Of the hrHPV-positive participants, 24 (46%) presented for in-clinic cervical cancer screening, compared with 56 (20%) of hrHPV-negative participants. Those with ≥2 sexual partners in the past year were twice as likely to be hrHPV positive in adjusted analyses (adjusted odds ratio, 2.00 [95% confidence interval, 1.03-3.88]). High-risk HPV-positive and HPV-negative participants had similar attitudes toward screening, with the exception of hrHPV-positive participants who reported a lower perceived risk of cervical cancer than those who were hrHPV negative (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The hrHPV RNA prevalence was similar to findings in other underscreened PWC in the United States. Efforts to reach underscreened PWC are critical for cervical cancer prevention. Future studies aimed at home self-collection should address methods of increasing clinic attendance and completion of treatment among those with HPV-positive results.

Understanding the financial and psychological impact of employment disruption among caregivers of pediatric HSCT recipients: a mixed methods analysis.

PURPOSE: Pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) confers a substantial financial burden onto patients' families. In addition to high direct medical costs, HSCTs typically require at least one caregiver to take time away from work or other responsibilities, often leading to reduced household income. Using mixed methods, we sought to understand the impact of pediatric HSCT on caregiver employment and financial need. METHODS: We surveyed caregivers of living pediatric patients who underwent HSCT at one of two southeastern transplant centers between 2012 and 2018 (N = 95). We then interviewed a subset of caregivers (N = 18) to understand whether and how employment disruption contributed to financial distress. RESULTS: Among caregivers surveyed, the majority of household wage earners changed their work schedules to attend medical appointments and missed workdays. This resulted in income loss for 87% of families, with 31% experiencing an income reduction of over 50%. Qualitative interviews pointed to four emergent themes: (1) employment disruption exacerbated existing financial challenges; (2) parental division of labor between caregiving and providing financially led to heightened psychological distress; (3) existing employment leave and protection resources were essential but not sufficient; and (4) the ability to work remotely and having a supportive employer facilitated employment maintenance throughout the HSCT process. CONCLUSION: Expanded employment protections and access to accommodations are needed to limit the impact of HSCT on household income, health insurance, and financial hardship. Additionally, interventions are needed to ensure caregivers are equipped with the information necessary to navigate conversations with employers and prepare for the financial and psychological reality of employment disruption.

Understanding the multilevel determinants of clinicians' imaging decision-making: setting the stage for de-implementation of low-value imaging.

BACKGROUND: De-implementation requires understanding and targeting multilevel determinants of low-value care. The objective of this study was to identify multilevel determinants of imaging for prostate cancer (PCa) and asymptomatic microhematuria (AMH), two common urologic conditions that have contributed substantially to the annual spending on unnecessary imaging in the US. METHODS: We used a convergent mixed-methods approach involving survey and interview data. Using a survey, we asked 33 clinicians (55% response-rate) to indicate their imaging approach to 8 clinical vignettes designed to elicit responses that would demonstrate guideline-concordant/discordant imaging practices for patients with PCa or AMH. A subset of survey respondents (N = 7) participated in semi-structured interviews guided by a combination of two frameworks that offered a comprehensive understanding of multilevel determinants. We analyzed the interviews using a directed content analysis approach and identified subthemes to better understand the differences and similarities in the imaging determinants across two clinical conditions. RESULTS: Survey results showed that the majority of clinicians chose guideline-concordant imaging behaviors for PCa; guideline-concordant imaging intentions were more varied for AMH. Interview results informed what influenced imaging decisions and provided additional context to the varying intentions for AMH. Five subthemes touching on multiple levels were identified from the interviews: National Guidelines, Supporting Evidence and Information Exchange, Organization of the Imaging Pathways, Patients' Clinical and Other Risk Factors, and Clinicians' Beliefs and Experiences Regarding Imaging. Imaging decisions for both PCa and AMH were often driven by national guidelines from major professional societies. However, when clinicians felt guidelines were inadequate, they reported that their decision-making was influenced by their knowledge of recent scientific evidence, past clinical experiences, and the anticipated benefits of imaging (or not imaging) to both the patient and the clinician. In particular, clinicians referred to patients' anxiety and uncertainty or patients' clinical factors. For AMH patients, clinicians additionally expressed concerns regarding legal liability risk. CONCLUSION: Our study identified comprehensive multilevel determinants of imaging to inform development of de-implementation interventions to reduce low-value imaging, which we found useful for identifying determinants of de-implementation. De-implementation interventions should be tailored to address the contextual determinants that are specific to each clinical condition.

Anaerobic Antibiotics and the Risk of Graft-versus-Host Disease after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Certain anaerobic bacteria are important for maintenance of gut barrier integrity and immune tolerance and may influence the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of allogeneic HSCT recipients to evaluate associations between receipt of antibiotics with an anaerobic spectrum of activity and GVHD outcomes. We identified 1214 children and adults who developed febrile neutropenia between 7 days before and 28 days after HSCT and compared GVHD risk and mortality among patients who received anaerobic antibiotics (piperacillin-tazobactam or carbapenems; n = 491) to patients who received only antibiotics with minimal activity against anaerobes (aztreonam, cefepime, or ceftazidime; n = 723). We performed metagenomic sequencing of serial fecal samples from 36 pediatric patients to compare the effects of specific antibiotics on the gut metagenome. Receipt of anaerobic antibiotics was associated with higher hazards of acute gut/liver GVHD (hazard ratio [HR], 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03 to 1.54) and acute GVHD mortality (HR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.08 to 2.46), but not chronic GVHD diagnosis (HR, 1.04; 95% CI: .84 to 1.28) or chronic GVHD mortality (HR, .88; 95% CI, .53 to 1.45). Anaerobic antibiotics resulted in decreased gut bacterial diversity, reduced abundances of Bifidobacteriales and Clostridiales, and loss of bacterial genes encoding butyrate biosynthesis enzymes from the gut metagenome. Acute gut/liver GVHD was preceded by a sharp decline in bacterial butyrate biosynthesis genes with antibiotic treatment. Our findings demonstrate that exposure to anaerobic antibiotics is associated with increased risks of acute gut/liver GVHD and acute GVHD mortality after allogeneic HSCT. Use of piperacillin-tazobactam or carbapenems should be reserved for febrile neutropenia cases in which anaerobic or multidrug-resistant infections are suspected.

Changes in chronic medication adherence, costs, and health care use after a cancer diagnosis among low-income patients and the role of patient-centered medical homes.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 40% of patients with cancer also have another chronic medical condition. Patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) have improved outcomes among patients with multiple chronic comorbidities. The authors first evaluated the impact of a cancer diagnosis on chronic medication adherence among patients with Medicaid coverage and, second, whether PCMHs influenced outcomes among patients with cancer. METHODS: Using linked 2004 to 2010 North Carolina cancer registry and claims data, the authors included Medicaid enrollees who were diagnosed with breast, colorectal, or lung cancer who had hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and/or diabetes mellitus. Using difference-in-difference methods, the authors examined adherence to chronic disease medications as measured by the change in the percentage of days covered over time among patients with and without cancer. The authors then further evaluated whether PCMH enrollment modified the observed differences between those patients with and without cancer using a differences-in-differences-in-differences approach. The authors examined changes in health care expenditures and use as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Patients newly diagnosed with cancer who had hyperlipidemia experienced a 7-percentage point to 11-percentage point decrease in the percentage of days covered compared with patients without cancer. Patients with cancer also experienced significant increases in medical expenditures and hospitalizations compared with noncancer controls. Changes in medication adherence over time between patients with and without cancer were not determined to be statistically significantly different by PCMH status. Some PCMH patients with cancer experienced smaller increases in expenditures (diabetes) and emergency department use (hyperlipidemia) but larger increases in their inpatient hospitalization rates (hypertension) compared with non-PCMH patients with cancer relative to patients without cancer. CONCLUSIONS: PCMHs were not found to be associated with improvements in chronic disease medication adherence, but were associated with lower costs and emergency department visits among some low-income patients with cancer.

Reduction in Mortality after Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation in Children Over a 20-Year Period (1995-2014).

Infections and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) have historically resulted in high mortality among children undergoing umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT). However, recent advances in clinical practice have likely improved outcomes of these patients. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children (<18years of age) undergoing UCBT at Duke University between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2014. We compared 2-year all-cause and cause-specific mortality during 3 time periods based on year of transplantation (1995 to 2001, 2002 to 2007, and 2008 to 2014). We used multivariable Cox regression to identify demographic and UCBT characteristics that were associated with all-cause mortality, transplantation-related mortality, and death from invasive aspergillosis after adjustment for time period. During the 20-year study period 824 children underwent UCBT. Two-year all-cause mortality declined from 48% in 1995 to 2001 to 30% in 2008 to 2014 (P = .0002). White race and nonmalignant UCBT indications were associated with lower mortality. Black children tended to have a higher risk of death for which GVHD (18% versus 11%; P = .06) or graft failure (9% versus 3%; P = .01) were contributory than white children. Comparing 2008 to 2014 with 1995 to 2001, more than half (59%) of the reduced mortality was attributable to a reduction in infectious mortality, with 45% specifically related to reduced mortality from invasive aspergillosis. Antifungal prophylaxis with voriconazole was associated with lower mortality from invasive aspergillosis than low-dose amphotericin B lipid complex (hazard ratio, .09; 95% confidence interval, .01 to .76). With the decline in mortality from invasive aspergillosis, adenovirus and cytomegalovirus have become the most frequentinfectious causes of death in children after UCBT. Advances in clinical practice over the past 20years improved survival of children after UCBT. Reduced mortality from infections, particularly invasive aspergillosis, accounted for the largest improvement in survival and was associated with use of voriconazole for antifungal prophylaxis.

Evaluating the urban-rural paradox: The complicated relationship between distance and the receipt of guideline-concordant care among cervical cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: Urban-rural health disparities are often attributed to the longer distances rural patients travel to receive care. However, a recent study suggests that distance to care may affect urban and rural cancer patients differentially. We examined whether this urban-rural paradox exists among patients with cervical cancer. METHODS: We identified individuals diagnosed with cervical cancer from 2004 to 2013 using a statewide cancer registry linked to multi-payer, insurance claims. Our primary outcome was receipt of guideline-concordant care: surgery for stages IA1-IB1; external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), concomitant chemotherapy, and brachytherapy for stages IB2-IVA. We estimated risk ratios (RR) using modified Poisson regressions, stratified by urban/rural location, to examine the association between distance to nearest facility and receipt of treatment. RESULTS: 62% of 999 cervical cancer patients received guideline-concordant care. The association between distance and receipt of care differed by type of treatment. In urban areas, cancer patients who lived ≥15 miles from the nearest surgical facility were less likely to receive primary surgical management compared to those <5 miles from the nearest surgical facility (RR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.60-0.98). In rural areas, patients living ≥15 miles from the nearest brachytherapy facility were more likely to receive treatment compared to those <5 miles from the nearest brachytherapy facility (RR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.14-2.58). Distance was not associated with the receipt of chemotherapy or EBRT. CONCLUSIONS: Among cervical cancer patients, there is evidence supporting the urban-rural paradox, i.e., geographic distance to cancer care facilities is not consistently associated with treatment receipt in expected or consistent ways. Healthcare systems must consider the diverse and differential barriers encountered by urban and rural residents to improve access to high quality cancer care.

The Academic Achievement of Limited English Proficient (LEP) Youth in New and Established Immigrant States: Lessons from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

The dramatic growth and dispersal of immigrant families has changed the face of public education at a time when states are experiencing increased school accountability pressures under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and its recent successor the Every Student Succeeds Act. Of particular concern is how these demographic shifts affect the academic well-being of Limited English Proficient (LEP) youth, the protected sub-group that most directly targets children from immigrant families. Using individual-level data from the National Association of Educational Progress, we examine how 8th grade test scores of LEP youth differ across new and established immigrant destination states. Results show that achievement for LEP youth is higher in new than in established immigrant states but that this advantage is not consistent across ethnic/racial groups. LEP youth in new immigrant states benefit from more favorable demographic characteristics and more family and school resources, but these differences only explain a small portion of the achievement gap.

An evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of population genetic screening for familial hypercholesterolemia in US patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Familial hypercholesterolemia is an underdiagnosed genetic metabolic condition limiting the clearance of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increasing lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease. Population genetic screening in unselected individuals could quickly identify cases of familial hypercholesterolemia and enable early prevention, but the economic impact of widespread screening on patients has not been studied. METHODS: We assessed the cost-effectiveness of population genetic screening for familial hypercholesterolemia in 20 and 35-year-old adults in the United States from the perspective of patients. We developed a decision tree Markov hybrid model to examine diagnoses, cardiovascular disease, cardiac events, quality of life, and costs under population genetic screening compared to family-based cascade testing. RESULTS: While population genetic screening increased diagnoses and reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease, population genetic screening was not cost-effective compared to cascade testing at current levels of willingness to pay. Lower genetic testing costs, combined screening with other genetic conditions, and support to maintain lipid-lowering therapy use over time could improve the cost-effectiveness of population genetic screening. CONCLUSIONS: Future research is needed to examine how cost-sharing strategies may affect the cost-effectiveness of screening to patients and how families and providers experience the clinical and economic outcomes of population screening.

Economic Evaluation of a Nonmedical Financial Assistance Program on Missed Treatment Appointments Among Adults With Cancer.

PURPOSE: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical and economic impact of a program providing nonmedical financial assistance on missed treatment appointments among patients receiving cancer treatment at a large, Southeastern public hospital system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used patient electronic health records, program records, and cancer registry data to examine the impact of the program on rates of missed (or no-show) radiation therapy and infusion chemotherapy/immunotherapy appointments in the 180 days after treatment initiation. We used propensity weighting to estimate the effect of the program, stratified by treatment appointment type (radiation therapy, infusion chemotherapy/immunotherapy). We developed a decision tree-based economic model to conduct a cost-consequence analysis from the health system perspective in a hypothetical cohort over a 6-month time horizon. RESULTS: Of 1,347 patients receiving radiation therapy between 2015 and 2019, 53% (n = 715) had ≥1 no-shows and 28% (n = 378) received program assistance. Receipt of any assistance was associated with a 2.1 percentage point (95% CI, 0.6 to 3.5) decrease in the proportion of no-shows, corresponding to a 51% decrease in the overall mean no-show proportion. Under the current funding model, the program is estimated to save the health system $153 in US dollars per missed appointment averted, relative to not providing nonmedical financial assistance. Of the 1,641 patients receiving infusion chemotherapy/immunotherapy, 33% (n = 541) received program assistance, and only 14% (n = 223) had ≥1 no-shows. The financial assistance program did not have a significant effect on no-show proportions among infusion visits. CONCLUSION: This study used a novel approach to retrospectively evaluate a nonmedical financial assistance program for patients undergoing active cancer treatment. Findings support investment in programs that address patients' nonmedical financial needs, particularly for those undergoing intensive radiation therapy.

Benefits, challenges, and strategies related to using presumptive recommendations for HPV vaccination: A qualitative study with rural and non-rural-serving primary care professionals.

HPV vaccination coverage remains far below the national target of 80% among US adolescents, particularly in rural areas, which have vaccine uptake rates that are 10% points lower than non-rural areas on average. Primary care professionals (PCPs) can increase coverage by using presumptive recommendations to introduce HPV vaccination in a way that assumes parents want to vaccinate. Through semi-structured interviews, we explored PCPs' experiences and perceptions of using presumptive recommendations in rural- and non-rural-serving primary care clinics in North Carolina. Thematic analysis revealed that most PCPs in rural and non-rural contexts used presumptive recommendations and felt the strategy was an effective and concise way to introduce the topic of HPV vaccination to parents. At the same time, some PCPs raised concerns about presumptive recommendations potentially straining relationships with certain parents, including those who had previously declined HPV vaccine or who distrust medical authority due to their past experiences with the healthcare system. PCPs dealt with these challenges by using a more open-ended approach when introducing HPV vaccination to parents. In conclusion, our findings suggest that PCPs in both rural and non-rural settings see value in using presumptive recommendations to introduce HPV vaccination, but to adequately address concerns and ensure increased HPV vaccine uptake, PCPs can use simple and culturally sensitive language to ensure fully informed consent and to maintain parental trust. And to further strengthen HPV vaccine discussions, PCPs can utilize other effective HPV communication techniques, like the Announcement Approach, in discussing HPV vaccinations with hesitant parents.

Characterizing Cancer Burden in the American Indian Population in North Carolina.

BACKGROUND: The American Indian (AI) population in North Carolina has limited access to the Indian Health Service. Consequently, cancer burden and disparities may differ from national estimates. We describe the AI cancer population and examine AI-White disparities in cancer incidence and mortality. METHODS: We identified cancer cases diagnosed among adult AI and White populations between 2014 and 2018 from the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry. We estimated incidence and mortality rate ratios (IRR and MRR) by race. In addition, between the AI and White populations, we estimated the ratio of relative frequency differences [RRF, with 95% confidence limits (CL)] of clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. Finally, we evaluated the geographic distribution of incident diagnoses among AI populations. RESULTS: Our analytic sample included 2,161 AI and 204,613 White individuals with cancer. Compared with the White population, the AI population was more likely to live in rural areas (48% vs. 25%; RRF, 1.89; 95% CL, 1.81-1.97) and to have Medicaid (18% vs. 7%; RRF, 2.49; 95% CL, 2.27-2.71). Among the AI population, the highest age-standardized incidence rates were female breast, followed by prostate and lung and bronchus. Liver cancer incidence was significantly higher among the AI population than White population (IRR, 1.27; 95% CL, 1.01-1.59). AI patients had higher mortality rates for prostate (MRR, 1.72; CL, 1.09-2.70), stomach (MRR, 1.82; 95% CL, 1.15-2.86), and liver (MRR, 1.70; 95% CL, 1.25-2.33) cancers compared with White patients. CONCLUSIONS: To reduce prostate, stomach, and liver cancer disparities among AI populations in North Carolina, multi-modal interventions targeting risk factors and increasing screening and treatment are needed. IMPACT: This study identifies cancer disparities that can inform targeted interventions to improve outcomes among AI populations in North Carolina.