Abstract A002: Transportation-driven delays in medical care among cancer survivors

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

9-18-2025

Publication Title

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer survivors often require continuous access to medical care for monitoring, treatment, and management of comorbid conditions. Structural factors such as lack of reliable transportation may interfere with timely care access, yet little is known about how this affects cancer survivors in recent years especially post Covid-19. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of delayed medical care due to transportation issues and identify sociodemographic and health-related factors associated with such delays among US cancer survivors. Methods: We used data from the 2022–2023 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of the US civilian, non-institutionalized population. The analytic sample included 5,982 adults aged 18 years or older who reported a history of cancer. The outcome was defined as delaying medical care in the past 12 months due to lack of reliable transportation. Weighted logistic regression model was used to estimate associations between transportation-related medical care delays and age, sex, race and ethnicity, marital status, education level, insurance coverage, and number of comorbidities. Results: Among cancer survivors, 6.5% reported delaying medical care due to transportation problems. Approximately 59% of the sample were aged 65 years or older, 56% were female, and 81% were non-Hispanic White. Most cancer survivors were married or living with a partner (63.6%) and had health insurance coverage (98.0%). Approximately 34% of cancer survivors had college degree or higher, 66% reported having 1-3 comorbid conditions and 16% reported having ≥4 comorbid conditions. In the adjusted model, compared to cancer survivors aged 65 and older, those aged 18–64 had higher odds of delayed medical care (aOR=1.77; 95% CI: 1.35–2.31). Non-Hispanic Black survivors (aOR=2.33; 95% CI: 1.53–3.54) had more than twice the odds of delay medical care compared to Non-Hispanic White survivors. Survivors with ≥4 comorbid conditions (aOR=2.67; 95% CI: 1.64–4.36) had higher odds of delayed medical care compared to those with no condition. On the other hand, compared to female survivors, male survivors (aOR=0.70; 95% CI: 0.54–0.91) had lower odds of delayed medical care, as were those married or living with a partner (aOR=0.51; 95% CI: 0.39–0.67) compared with never married survivors. Conclusion: Transportation-related delays in care were reported by over 6% of US cancer survivors, with disproportionate burden among younger adults, females, Non-Hispanic Black individuals, those who had never marry, and those with multiple comorbidities. These patterns reflect underlying disparities that may compound vulnerability to gaps in survivorship care access. Continued monitoring of structural barriers is needed, particularly in high-risk population.

Volume

34

Issue

9

First Page

A2

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