Newswise — Patients from historically medically underserved groups, including patients of color and those who are Spanish-speaking, have less cancer family history information available to them. In addition , existing health records are less comprehensive, according in order to a study published October 4 in the Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open .
Researchers through Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University associated with Utah (the U)and Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health sifted through electronic wellness record info in two major health care systems and broke them into subgroups: race, ethnicity, language preference, and gender. Researchers found disparities in the availability plus comprehensiveness of cancer family history information for patients from different groups.
“Algorithms are being used by more health care systems to identify patients with regard to specialty care, ” says Kim Kaphingst, ScD, director of Malignancy Communication Research at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor within the Department of Communication in the U. “However, systematic differences in electronic health record data leads to disparities in identifying patients. Providers are also less able to determine patients in need of changing cancer screening schedules based on their family members history. Having less genealogy information in the record can have a trickle-down effect that negatively affects the care patients are receiving. ”
This research was funded by the National Cancer Institute through the Inherited Malignancy Syndromes Collaborative of the particular Cancer Moonshot Initiative. Kaphingst is one of the principal investigators associated with the study, together with Meena Sigireddi, MD, at NYU Langone Health. Questions started to surface when Kaphingst and her fellow researchers noticed they were determining fewer Spanish-speaking patients than expected.
“Based off what we found, we want to see how we can improve the collection of family history information, especially from Spanish-speaking patients, ” Kaphingst says. “What’s the best way to ask questions about malignancy in the particular family? Could we use an online tool upon MyChart or have a patient navigator in appointments collecting family history? We want to make sure all patients have access in order to needed cancer genetic services. ”
With misinformation more prevalent than ever, mistrust has become a critical factor in people’s unwillingness to share family medical history adds Kaphingst. But with additional funding from the National Cancer Institute, she and the girl colleagues are usually trying to find answers to their questions.
Researchers through the Oughout included Daniel Chavez Yenter, MPH, a predoctoral fellow in the particular Department of Communication. Guilherme Del Fiol, MD, PhD; Ken Kawamoto, MD, PhD, MHS, FACMI, FAMIA; and Rick Bradshaw, PhD, aided with biomedical informatics . Other members of the team from Huntsman Cancer Institute included Saundra Buys, MD ; Wendy Kohlmann, MS, CGC ; Joshua Schiffman, MD ; and Sarah Colonna, MD .
About Huntsman Malignancy Institute from the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Company with the College of Utah is the official malignancy center associated with Utah and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center within the Mountain West. The campus includes the state-of-the-art cancer specialty hospital and 2 buildings dedicated to malignancy research. Huntsman Cancer Start provides patient care, cancer screening, plus education on community clinics and affiliate hospitals throughout the Mountain Western. It is consistently recognized among the best malignancy hospitals in the country by You. S. News and World Report. The region’s first proton therapy center opened in 2021 and a major hospital expansion is underway. Huntsman Malignancy Institute is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment regarding staff, students, patients, and communities. Advancing cancer research discoveries plus treatments to meet the needs of individuals who live far away from a major medical center is an unique focus. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center, including genes responsible for breast, ovarian, colon, head and neck cancers, and melanoma. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. plus Karen Huntsman .