Patient housing barriers to hematopoietic cell transplantation: results from a mixed-methods study of transplant center social workers.
OBJECTIVE
Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is performed in select centers in the United States (U.S.), and patients are often required to temporarily relocate to receive care. The purpose of this study was to identify housing barriers impacting access to HCT and potential solutions.


METHODS
A mixed-methods primary study of HCT social workers was conducted to learn about patient housing challenges and solutions in place that help address those barriers. Three telephone focus groups were conducted with adult and pediatric transplant social workers (n = 15). Focus group results informed the design of a national survey. The online survey was e-mailed to a primary social worker contact at 133 adult and pediatric transplant centers in the U.S. Transplant centers were classified based on the patient population cared for by the social worker.


RESULTS
The survey response rate was 49%. Among adult programs (n = 45), 93% of centers had patients that had to relocate closer to the transplant center to proceed with HCT. The most common type of housing option offered was discounted hotel rates. Among pediatric programs (n = 20), 90% of centers had patients that had to relocate closer to the transplant center to proceed with HCT. Ronald McDonald House was the most common option available.


CONCLUSIONS
This study is the first to explore housing challenges faced by patients undergoing HCT in the U.S. from the perspective of social workers and to highlight solutions that centers use. Transplant centers will benefit from this knowledge by learning about options for addressing housing barriers for their patients.
National Marrow Donor Program®/Be The Match®, 3001 Broadway St NE, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, USA. jpreussl@nmdp.org.
Jaime M
JM
Preussler
National Marrow Donor Program®/Be The Match®, 3001 Broadway St NE, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, USA.
Lih-Wen
LW
Mau
Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Navneet S
NS
Majhail
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Margaret
M
Bevans
National Marrow Donor Program®/Be The Match®, 3001 Broadway St NE, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, USA.
Emilie
E
Clancy
CancerCare, New York, NY, USA.
Carolyn
C
Messner
University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Leslie
L
Parran
National Marrow Donor Program®/Be The Match®, 3001 Broadway St NE, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, USA.
Kate A
KA
Pederson
National Marrow Donor Program®/Be The Match®, 3001 Broadway St NE, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, USA.
Stacy Stickney
SS
Ferguson
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Kent
K
Walters
National Marrow Donor Program®/Be The Match®, 3001 Broadway St NE, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, USA.
Elizabeth A
EA
Murphy
National Marrow Donor Program®/Be The Match®, 3001 Broadway St NE, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, USA.
Ellen M
EM
Denzen
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006798:Housing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000068217:Social Workers / Q000523:psychology*; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods*
Barriers; Hematopoietic cell transplantation; Housing