Burden of socio-legal concerns among vulnerable patients seeking cancer care services at an urban safety-net hospital: a cross-sectional survey.
Social and economic conditions that affect one's ability to satisfy life's most basic needs such as lack of affordable housing, restricted access to education and employment, or inadequate income are increasingly well-documented barriers to optimal health. The burden of these challenges among vulnerable patients accessing cancer care services is unknown.



We conducted a cross-sectional survey of patients presenting for ambulatory cancer care services (screening and treatment) at an urban safety-net hospital to assess socio-legal concerns (social problems related to meeting life's basic needs supported by public policy or programming and potentially remedied through legal advocacy/action).



Among 104 respondents, 80 (77 %) reported concerns with one or more socio-legal needs in the past month, with a mean of 5.75 concerns per participant. The most common socio-legal concerns related to income supports, housing, and employment/education.



Our findings support the need for innovations in cancer care delivery to address socio-legal concerns of a vulnerable patient population.
Section of Hematology Oncology, Women's Health Unit, Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Ave, First Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA. naomi.ko@bmc.org.
Naomi Yu
NY
Ko
Women's Health Unit, Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Ave, First Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
Tracy A
TA
Battaglia
Women's Health Unit, Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Ave, First Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
Rebecca
R
Gupta-Lawrence
Women's Health Unit, Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Ave, First Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
Jessica
J
Schiller
Women's Health Unit, Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Ave, First Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
Christine
C
Gunn
Women's Health Unit, Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Ave, First Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
Kate
K
Festa
Department of Biostatistics, Boston University, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
Kerrie
K
Nelson
Medical-Legal Partnership I Boston, c/o Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP 155 Seaport Blvd, Boston, MA, 02210, USA.
JoHanna
J
Flacks
Medical-Legal Partnership I Boston, c/o Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP 155 Seaport Blvd, Boston, MA, 02210, USA.
Samantha J
SJ
Morton
Department of Surgery, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, 110 Irving Street NW Suite G247C, Washington DC, 20010, USA.
Jennifer E
JE
Rosen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001900:Boston; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D011203:Poverty; D064876:Safety-net Providers; D064890:Social Determinants of Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D066252:Sociological Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
Cancer; Disparities; Legal partnerships; Safety net