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Disparities in Use of Gynecologic Oncologists for Women with Ovarian Cancer in the United States
Author(s) -
Austin Shamly,
Martin Michelle Y.,
Kim Yongin,
Funkhouser Ellen M.,
Partridge Edward E.,
Pisu Maria
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
health services research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.706
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1475-6773
pISSN - 0017-9124
DOI - 10.1111/1475-6773.12012
Subject(s) - medicine , ethnic group , specialty , logistic regression , ovarian cancer , cancer , family medicine , demography , gynecology , health equity , gerontology , public health , nursing , sociology , anthropology
Objective To examine disparities in utilization of gynecologic oncologists ( GO s) across race and other sociodemographic factors for women with ovarian cancer. Data Sources Obtained SEER ‐Medicare linked dataset for 4,233 non‐ H ispanic W hite, non‐ H ispanic A frican A merican, H ispanic of any race, and N on‐ H ispanic A sian women aged ≥66 years old diagnosed with ovarian cancer during 2000–2002 from 17 SEER registries. Physician specialty was identified by linking data to the AMA master file using U nique P hysician I dentification N umbers. Study Design Retrospective claims data analysis for 1999–2006. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between GO utilization and race/ethnicity in the initial, continuing, and final phases of care. Principal Findings GO use decreased from the initial to final phase of care (51.4–28.8 percent). No racial/ethnic differences were found overall and by phase of cancer care. Women >70 years old and those with unstaged disease were less likely to receive GO care compared to their counterparts. GO use was lower in some SEER registries compared to the A tlanta registry. Conclusions GO use for the initial ovarian cancer treatment or for longer term care was low but not different across racial/ethnic groups. Future research should identify factors that affect GO utilization and understand why use of these specialists remains low.