title: Elimination of socioeconomic and racial disparities related to lung cancer: closing the gap at a high volume community cancer center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Healthcare disparities have afflicted the healthcare industry for decades and there have been many campaigns in recent years to identify and eliminate disparities. The purpose of this study was to identify disparities in the lung cancer population of a single community cancer center and to report the results in accordance with industry goals.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective cohort study of data on non-small cell lung cancer patients recorded in the Christiana Care Tumor Registry (CCTR) in Delaware. Gender, age, race, socioeconomic status and insurance status were used as potential variables in identifying disparities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no significant disparities between sexes, race or patients who were classified as having socioeconomic status 1-3. There was a lower survival rate associated with having the poorest socioeconomic status and in patients who used Medicare. Uninsured patients had the best survival outcomes and patients with Medicare had the poorest survival outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although we have closed the gap on sex and racial disparities, there remains a difference in survival outcomes across socioeconomic classes and insurance types.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Christiana Care Health System (CCHS), PO Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899, USA; Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, Christiana Care Health System (CCHS), PO Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899, USA.
authors.forename: Michael Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Caposole
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Christiana Care Health System (CCHS), PO Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899, USA; Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, Christiana Care Health System (CCHS), PO Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899, USA.
authors.forename: Kaylee
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Christiana Care Health System (CCHS), PO Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899, USA; Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, Christiana Care Health System (CCHS), PO Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899, USA.
authors.forename: Jehovah-Nissi
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Christiana Care Health System (CCHS), PO Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899, USA; Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, Christiana Care Health System (CCHS), PO Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Steward
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Christiana Care Health System (CCHS), PO Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899, USA; Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, Christiana Care Health System (CCHS), PO Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899, USA; The Value Institute, Christiana Care Health System (CCHS), PO Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899, USA. Electronic address: TBauer@Christianacare.org.
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D003151:Community Health Centers; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Indigent; Medicaid; Medicare; Non-small cell lung cancer; Socioeconomic status; Thoracic surgery; Uninsured