Equal-access setting improves outcomes

Is equal access to health care associated with reduced racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes of nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer?

A retrospective cohort study of approximately 13,000 veterans treated in an equal-access healthcare setting was conducted. Patients included in the analysis were diagnosed with prostate cancer that progressed to non- metastatic, castrate resistant prostate cancer (no longer responding to hormone therapy).

The study population was comprised of 6% Hispanic, 28% Black, 56% White, and 9% other ethnicity patients. The median time elapsed from nmCRPC to metastasis or death was 5.96 years for Black patients, 5.62 years for Hispanic patients, 4.11 years for White patients, and 3.59 years for other patients.

The median unadjusted overall survival was 6.26 years among all patients, 8.36 years for Black patients, 8.56 years for Hispanic patients, 5.48 years for White patients, and 4.48 years for other patients.

The findings suggest that there are differences in outcomes by race and ethnicity. Also, when treated in an equal-access setting such as the Veteran’s Administration healthcare system, Black and Hispanic men may have considerably more favorable outcomes.

JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Oct; 6(10): e2337272.