Sociodemographic disparities and reasons for delayed healthcare among U.S. cancer survivors: an All of Us study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To examine how sociodemographic factors influence healthcare access among cancer survivors. METHODS: From the National Institutes of Health's All of Us dataset (2018-2022, n = 27,589), we analyzed the relationship between characteristics like age, income, race/ethnicity, and insurance, and reasons for delayed healthcare, including affordability, transportation, and nervousness. RESULTS: Young adult cancer survivors (ages 18-39), those on Medicaid, and individuals earning less than $25,000 annually consistently experienced higher rates of delayed healthcare. The top reasons for delayed healthcare were affordability issues (12%), nervousness (8%), and transportation barriers (6%). Female survivors were more likely to delay care for all reasons except transportation. Work and caregiving-related delays were more common among minoritized racial/ethnic groups, while non-Hispanic White survivors more often delayed healthcare due to nervousness and socioeconomic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Considerable differences in delayed healthcare were observed among cancer survivors by sociodemographic characteristics. Findings highlight the need for tailored interventions to effectively address the unique social needs of each cancer survivor, ultimately improving healthcare access for all.
Source: Supportive Care in Cancer
Language: English
Topic: Cancer survivorship and care
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,690
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Awards: Illinois Precision Medicine Consortium , Healthy Americas: All of Us Research Program, G1969433312, Empowerment-focused Outreach, Education and Enrollment of Tennessee Older Adults in the All of Us Research Program through Community Efforts by FiftyForward, Research Matters: Creating Possibilities to Achieve Health and Wellness for All of Us Research Program, Precision Medicine Initiative Cohort Program Biobank, Communications Design and Development for NIH Precision Medicine Initiative Research Projects, New York City Consortium for Precision Medicine, Technology to Empower Changes in Health (TECH) Network Participant Technologies Center, University of Arizona-Banner Health All of Us Research Program , The New England Precision Medicine Consortium of the All of Us Research Program, All of Us Wisconsin , Data and Research Support Center , All of Us Pennsylvania, Trans-America Consortium of the Health Care Systems Research Network for the All of Us Research Program, Southern All of Us Network, SouthEast Enrollment Center (SEEC) , Adaptive Platform for Personalized Engagement, California Precision Medicine Research Program Consortium, Communication Implementation and Coordination for NIH Precision Medicine Initiative Research Projects, PRIDEnet for the All of Us Research Program
OpenAlex ID: W4416306472