Peiyin Hung1,2, Songyuan Deng1,2, Whitney E Zahnd1,2, Swann A Adams1,3,4, Bankole Olatosi1,2, Elizabeth L Crouch1,2, Jan M Eberth1,4. 1. Rural and Minority Health Research Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina. 2. Department of Health Services Policy and Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina. 3. College of Nursing, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina. 4. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Persistent rural-urban disparities for colorectal and cervical cancers raise concerns regarding access to treatment providers. To the authors knowledge, little is known regarding rural-urban differences in residential proximity to cancer specialists. METHODS: Using the 2018 Physician Compare data concerning physician practice locations and the 2012 to 2016 American Community Survey, the current study estimated the driving distance from each residential zip code tabulation area (ZCTA) centroid to the nearest cancer provider of the following medical specialties involved in treating patients with colorectal and cervical cancer: medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, general surgery, gynecological oncology, and colorectal surgery. Using population-weighted multivariable logistic regression, the authors analyzed the associations between ZCTA-level characteristics and driving distances >60 miles to each type of specialist. ZCTA-level residential rurality was defined using rural-urban commuting area codes. RESULTS: Nearly 1 in 5 rural Americans lives >60 miles from a medical oncologist. Rural-urban differences in travel distances to the nearest cancer care provider(s) increased substantially for cancer surgeons; greater than one-half of rural residents were required to travel 60 miles to reach a gynecological oncologist, compared with 8 miles for their urban counterparts. Individuals residing within ZCTAs with a higher poverty rate, those of American Indian/Alaska Native ethnicity, and/or were located in the South and West regions were more likely than their counterparts to be >60 miles away from any of the aforementioned providers. CONCLUSIONS: The substantial travel distances required for rural, low-income residents to reach a cancer specialist should prompt a policy action to increase access to specialized cancer care for millions of rural residents.
BACKGROUND: Persistent rural-urban disparities for colorectal and cervical cancers raise concerns regarding access to treatment providers. To the authors knowledge, little is known regarding rural-urban differences in residential proximity to cancer specialists. METHODS: Using the 2018 Physician Compare data concerning physician practice locations and the 2012 to 2016 American Community Survey, the current study estimated the driving distance from each residential zip code tabulation area (ZCTA) centroid to the nearest cancer provider of the following medical specialties involved in treating patients with colorectal and cervical cancer: medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, general surgery, gynecological oncology, and colorectal surgery. Using population-weighted multivariable logistic regression, the authors analyzed the associations between ZCTA-level characteristics and driving distances >60 miles to each type of specialist. ZCTA-level residential rurality was defined using rural-urban commuting area codes. RESULTS: Nearly 1 in 5 rural Americans lives >60 miles from a medical oncologist. Rural-urban differences in travel distances to the nearest cancer care provider(s) increased substantially for cancer surgeons; greater than one-half of rural residents were required to travel 60 miles to reach a gynecological oncologist, compared with 8 miles for their urban counterparts. Individuals residing within ZCTAs with a higher poverty rate, those of American Indian/Alaska Native ethnicity, and/or were located in the South and West regions were more likely than their counterparts to be >60 miles away from any of the aforementioned providers. CONCLUSIONS: The substantial travel distances required for rural, low-income residents to reach a cancer specialist should prompt a policy action to increase access to specialized cancer care for millions of rural residents.
Authors: Whitney E Zahnd; Natalie Del Vecchio; Natoshia Askelson; Jan M Eberth; Robin C Vanderpool; Linda Overholser; Purnima Madhivanan; Rachel Hirschey; Jean Edward Journal: Health Serv Res Date: 2022-03-07 Impact factor: 3.734
Authors: Victoria Petermann; Whitney E Zahnd; Robin C Vanderpool; Jan M Eberth; Catherine Rohweder; Randall Teal; Maihan Vu; Lindsay Stradtman; Elizabeth Frost; Erika Trapl; Sarah Koopman Gonzalez; Thuy Vu; Linda K Ko; Allison Cole; Paige E Farris; Jackilen Shannon; Jessica Lee; Natoshia Askelson; Laura Seegmiller; Arica White; Jean Edward; Melinda Davis; Stephanie B Wheeler Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2021-10-16 Impact factor: 3.359
Authors: Whitney E Zahnd; Cathryn Murphy; Marie Knoll; Gabriel A Benavidez; Kelsey R Day; Radhika Ranganathan; Parthenia Luke; Anja Zgodic; Kewei Shi; Melinda A Merrell; Elizabeth L Crouch; Heather M Brandt; Jan M Eberth Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-02-03 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Francisco A Montiel Ishino; Emmanuel A Odame; Kevin Villalobos; Martin Whiteside; Hadii Mamudu; Faustine Williams Journal: J Public Health Manag Pract Date: 2022 Mar-Apr 01