Racial Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Mortality: the Role of Endoscopy Wait-Time and Stage at Diagnosis.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

In Western Washington (WA), colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality between 2012 and 2016 was highest in American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and African-Americans (AA) at 20.7 and 18.7, respectively, compared with non-Hispanic Whites at 14.1/100,000 people. We hypothesized that time from billed encounters for CRC-associated symptoms to endoscopy completion or CRC stage at diagnosis contributed to observed differences.

Methods

Using administrative insurance claims linked to WA cancer registry data, we performed a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with CRC between 2011 and 2017, with continuous insurance for 15 months prior to diagnosis and a billed encounter for CRC-associated symptoms. We determined the wait-time (days) and stage at diagnosis and con

SUBMITTER: Issaka RB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7423772 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature