Sunday, February 9, 2025

Racial Disparities in Cervical Cancer Health Care Expenditures in the U.S.

Similar articles

Cervical cancer treatment has shown significant success, with a 92% 5-year survival rate for cases diagnosed at a localized stage. Despite this, the financial burden for cervical cancer care in the United States remains substantial, with an estimated annual national expenditure of $2.3 billion in 2020. However, real-world data on racial disparities in health care expenditures for cervical cancer are limited.

A recent study highlights concerning racial disparities in annual health care expenditures among cervical cancer patients in the United States. This retrospective observational cohort study utilized data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, focusing on patients diagnosed between 2014 and 2019.

Subscribe Weekly Market Access News

* indicates required

Study Methodology and Findings

The study identified 826 cervical cancer patients, with the majority being White (81.2%) and aged between 45-64 years (44.65%). The analysis revealed significant differences in health care spending across racial groups. On average, annual health care expenditures were highest for White patients at $11,537, followed by African American patients at $10,659, and Hispanic patients at $8,726.

After adjusting for various covariates, the data showed that Hispanic patients’ total annual health care expenditure was 35% of that spent by White patients and 46% of the African American patients’ expenditure. The study also found that adjusted costs for office-based and outpatient visits were significantly lower for Hispanic patients compared to their White counterparts, by 47% and 57%, respectively.

Implications for Market Access

The findings underscore the need to address market access barriers and ensure equitable health care spending among racial groups. The lower expenditures observed among minority groups may reflect unequal access to necessary health care services, potentially impacting treatment outcomes.

Key Inferences:

  • The substantial disparities in health care spending highlight the need for targeted policies to improve access to cervical cancer treatment for minority racial groups.
  • Market access initiatives should focus on reducing financial barriers and enhancing equitable health care service utilization.
  • Addressing these disparities is crucial for achieving broader health equity in cancer care.

The study’s results emphasize the need for interventions aimed at reducing health care spending disparities among racial groups. Such disparities should be a key focus in efforts to address established health care inequities. Ensuring equitable access to health care services is vital for improving outcomes for all cervical cancer patients, regardless of race.

Original Article: J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2024 Aug;30(8):873-881. doi: 10.18553/jmcp.2024.30.8.873.


This article has been prepared with the assistance of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more details, please refer to our Terms and Conditions. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author.

Subscribe to our newsletter

To be updated with all the latest news, offers and special announcements.

Latest article