(313) Mid-Missouri Demographics of Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Introduction: Social determinants of health (SDOH) are conditions or circumstances (such as political, economic, and social factors) that pertain to an individual’s life, and it is imperative for health care professionals to account for SDOH in order to provide personalized care and develop translational diagnostic and treatment protocols. The purpose of this study was to investigate the patient population at Ellis Fischel Cancer Center within the University of Missouri Healthcare System which is the state cancer provider for residents located centrally within our state.

Methods: A retrospective review that included six years (2016-2021) of patients encountered by the head and neck cancer tumor board at the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center was conducted. Medical and demographic information was obtained during the review including: education level, sex, race, ethnicity, region of residence, insurance status, medical diagnosis, and treatment received. During this timeframe the tumor board rounded on an average of 342 cases per year, with over 2,000 records being included in the year.

Results: Results revealed that our tumor board encounters encompassed over 100 different ICD-10 codes spanning the entire head and neck region and including unknown primaries. 97% of the patients identified as not of Hispanic origin. Nearly all of the patients identified as white with the next highest race identification being black or African American. Approximately two-thirds of the counties within the state were included as geographical regions served by our tumor board. Almost three-quarters of the patients reviewed had state or federal insurance (i.e., Medicaid) or no insurance at all. Less than 10% of patients had commercially available insurance plans.

Conclusions: Our site offers access to care in more than half of the counties in Missouri with some patients traveling over two hours away. Access to healthcare is one example of social determinants of health, and barriers to access can have major impact on a patient’s quality of life and outcomes. This needs to be taken into account when planning or organizing a patient’s care plan.