It is reported that approximately 13% of the US population has one or the other kind of mobility disability. Further to this, people who experience mobility disability experience healthcare disparities, including lower rates of cancer screening and substandard cancer care than non-disabled people.
The research used the clinicians’ reports of diagnosing and treating three common cancer types among persons with a pre-existing mobility disability. By using the standardized diagnosis codes and natural language processing to screen electronic health records, between 2015-2017, the researcher reviewed 27 cases.
Clinicians’ reviews of the overall method and subject of research blended around four major themes: patients’ health risks, delaying the diagnosis of cancer symptoms, complicated treatment for the disabled, and problems with equipment accessibility and disability leading to the cancer diagnosis.
The idea that one can infer from the study suggests that the clinicians view the cancer patients with the pre-existing disability as one with challenges in diagnosing and treating cancer. There is a chance that such patients may be offered substandard care, which leads to barriers in cancer treatment.
The research lastly emphasizes focusing on improving the care quality and timeliness of diagnosis, as there has been a rise in the patients with a mobility disability.
Ref: https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/OP.20.00378
