Ethnic Differences in Unmet Care Needs Among Cancer Survivors in Utah Using a Mixed Methods Approach
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cancer survivors' unmet care needs can negatively affect well-being and quality of life, yet few studies focus on how Hispanic/Latino (Hispanic) survivors' needs may differ from those of non-Hispanic White (NHW) survivors. AIMS: To explore unmet needs of cancer survivors by ethnicity. METHODS: A population-based sample of adult survivors in Utah was surveyed. Demographic and cancer characteristics of survivors reporting unmet needs and those without needs were compared using chi-square, Wilcoxon rank sum, and Fisher's exact tests. Crude and adjusted logistic regression models predicting likelihood of reporting unmet needs were conducted, stratified by ethnicity. Open-ended questions assessed unmet care needs and were analyzed using directed content analysis. RESULTS: Among 2015 survey respondents, 516 described unmet needs in open-ended responses; 31.3% of Hispanic survivors reported unmet care needs compared to 25.2% of NHW survivors (p = 0.019). Among both Hispanic and NHW survivors, age was inversely associated with odds of reporting unmet needs (Hispanic: adjusted OR 0.97; CI 0.95, 0.99; NHW: adjusted OR 0.96; CI 0.95, 0.97). Unmet needs of the sample aligned with the Social Ecological Model (SEM) categories: (1) Individual; (2) Interpersonal; (3) Organizational; and (4) Structural. Financial burden, a structural unmet care need, was reported by 24 (22.2%) Hispanic survivors compared to 45 (11.0%) NHW survivors (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: In this state-wide sample, Hispanic cancer survivors were more likely to report unmet care needs than NHW survivors, especially financial burden.
Source: Cancer Medicine
DOI: 10.1002/cam4.72271
Language: English
Topic: Cancer survivorship and care
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,700
Awards: G5154365924, G5160342360, Utah Center for Clinical and Translational Science, NRSA Training Core, CANCER PREVENTION AND CONTROL PROGRAM 3: NATIONAL PROGRAM OF CANCER REGISTRIES - THE MISSION OF THE UTAH CANCER REGISTRY (UCR), AS AUTHORIZED BY THE UTAH CANCER REPORTING RULE, IS TO PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH BY COLLECTING AND MANAGING CANCER INCIDENCE AND MORTALITY DATA FOR THE STATE OF UTAH. UCR HAS OPERATED AS A STATEWIDE, POPULATION-BASED REGISTRY IN UTAH SINCE 1966. UCR JOINED THE NATIONAL PROGRAM OF CANCER REGISTRIES (NPCR) IN 2017. UCR DATA SUBMITTED TO CDC HAVE MET THE NATIONAL DATA QUALITY STANDARD FOR EACH YEAR OF OUR NPCR PARTICIPATION, AND THE REGISTRY HAS RECEIVED MULTIPLE ANNUAL AWARDS RECOGNIZING HIGHEST DATA QUALITY AS ASSESSED BY THE SURVEILLANCE, EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND END RESULTS PROGRAM (SEER) OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE AND BY THE NORTH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL CANCER REGISTRIES (NAACCR). IN THIS APPLICATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH REQUESTS SUPPORT FOR UCR UNDER CDC-RFA-DP22-2202 PROGRAM 3, NPCR. WE REQUEST THIS SUPPORT TO ENHANCE OUR SURVEILLANCE QUALITY, PERFORM PROGRAM MONITORING AND EVALUATION, AND COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS IN CANCER CONTROL AND PREVENTION THROUGH DISSEMINATION OF DATA TO IMPROVE HEALTH EQUITY AND CANCER OUTCOMES. IN THIS APPLICATION, WE PRESENT A COMPREHENSIVE WORK PLAN THAT ENCOMPASSES ACTIVITIES TO ADDRESS THE FOUR APPLICABLE STRATEGIES OF THE NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. A COMPREHENSIVE AND COORDINATED APPROACH IS VITAL TO DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES TO CONTROL AND PREVENT CANCER. UCR COLLABORATES CLOSELY WITH UTAH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (UDOH) CANCER PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT AND ADVANCE CANCER CONTROL AND PREVENTION IN UTAH THROUGH DISSEMINATION OF DATA AND PARTICIPATION IN JOINT PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES. IN THIS APPLICATION, WE PROPOSE ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT OUR COLLABORATORS’ PROGRAM PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION BY MAINTAINING OUR STRONG SURVEILLANCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND DISSEMINATING HIGH QUALITY DATA. WE ALSO PROPOSE TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR PARTNERS AT UDOH TO IMPLEMENT A POPULATION-BASED SURVEY OF CANCER SURVIVORS FOR SURVEILLANCE OF HEALTH IN THIS POPULATION AND IMPROVE HEALTH EQUITY. THROUGH THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES, UCR WILL IMPROVE THE TIMELINESS, QUALITY, COMPLETENESS, AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF NPCR SURVEILLANCE DATA THROUGH RIGOROUS PROGRAM MONITORING AND INCREASED ADOPTION OF DATA MODERNIZATION STRATEGIES. WE WILL ALSO INCREASE COLLABORATION WITH OUR PUBLIC HEALTH PARTNERS AND THE DISSEMINATION OF USE OF SURVEILLANCE DATA., G8873776998
OpenAlex ID: W7212179484