Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 5-19-2016

Publication Title

Cancer Control

Volume

23

Issue

2

First Page

157

Keywords

Breast cancer, Health disparities, poverty, health insurance, women's health, minority health, women of color

Last Page

162

Abstract

Background: Interaction effects of poverty and health care insurance coverage on overall survival rates of breast cancer among women of color and non-Hispanic white women were explored. Methods: We analyzed California registry data for 2,024 women of color (black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or other ethnicity) and 4,276 non-Hispanic white women (Anglo-European ancestries and no Hispanic-Latin ethnic backgrounds) diagnosed with breast cancer between the years 1996 and 2000 who were then followed until 2011. The 2000 US census categorized rates of neighborhood poverty. Health care insurance coverage was either private, Medicare, Medicaid, or none. Cox regression was used to model rates of survival. Results: A 3-way interaction between ethnicity, health care insurance coverage, and poverty was observed. Women of color inadequately insured and living in poor or near-poor neighborhoods in California were the most disadvantaged. Women of color adequately insured and who lived in such neighborhoods in California were also disadvantaged. The incomes of such women of color were typically lower than the incomes of non-Hispanic white women. Conclusions: Women of color with or without insurance coverage are disadvantaged in poor and near-poor neighborhoods of California. Such women may be less able to bare the indirect, direct, or uncovered costs of health care for breast cancer treatment.

Funding Reference Number

Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant no. 67161-2

Comments

This article is available open-access under the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Open Access policy. (http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/46068.html)

This article was first published in Cancer Control. Please visit the journal or your library to access more content from this publication.

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