A latent class assessment of healthcare access factors and disparities in breast cancer care timeliness.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Delays in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment lead to worse survival and quality of life. Racial disparities in care timeliness have been reported, but few studies have examined access at multiple points along the care continuum (diagnosis, treatment initiation, treatment duration, and genomic testing).

Methods and findings

The Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS) Phase 3 is a population-based, case-only cohort (n = 2,998, 50% black) of patients with invasive breast cancer diagnoses (2008 to 2013). We used latent class analysis (LCA) to group participants based on patterns of factors within 3 separate domains: socioeconomic status ("SES"), "care barriers," and "care use." These classes were evaluated in association with delayed diagnosis (approximated with stages

SUBMITTER: Dunn MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11649116 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature