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Socioeconomic Status and Access to Treatment in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Kuitunen Joonas1, Marin Katja1,2, Tokola Susanna3
1Faculty of Health Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Background And Purpose:
Large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) is the most common lymphoma subtype, with diffuse LBCL (DLBCL) accounting for 30%-40% of new lymphoma cases. The International Prognostic Index (IPI) is widely used for prognostic assessment in DLBCL. Clinical features associated with a poorer prognosis, such as advanced disease stage, could be a consequence of delayed diagnosis, which in turn may be influenced by a patient's socioeconomic status. While healthcare in Finland aims to ensure equal access to timely and high-quality treatment for all, disparities still exist. In this study we evaluated the impact of patients' socioeconomic status on their access to diagnostic procedures.
Patient/Material And Methods:
Patient data was prospectively collected from seven hospitals between October 2014 and March 2020 in Finland. A total of 160 patients provided information regarding their diagnostic pathway and socioeconomic status via questionnaire. The data was combined with clinical data from patient records.
Results:
The symptoms to treatment interval (STI) varied between age groups (p = 0.019), marital status groups (p = 0.023), and healthcare providers. In addition, age, income level, and occupational status (all p < 0.001) influenced which healthcare provider patients used as their first place of contact.
Interpretation:
In this prospective study, we analyzed the impact of patients' socioeconomic status on treatment delays within the treatment pathway. Socioeconomic status was found to have a significant effect on these delays. The delays varied not only between different socioeconomic groups but also across different healthcare providers.
