Social Determinants of Health: Uncovering Racial and Economic Disparities in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Care in Community Oncology Settings

In a recent study, Dr. Ira Zackon, MD, a hematologist/oncologist with New York Oncology Hematology and senior medical director with Ontada, a data science company part of McKesson, examined the impact of race and socioeconomic factors on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients in community oncology settings. The research analyzed data from over 12,000 patients with CLL from 2015 to 2023, during which time new and effective therapies such as Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors, BCL2 inhibitors, and antibodies were introduced. These advancements have significantly improved the lives of patients with CLL. However, Dr. Zackon and his team aimed to explore how social determinants of health beyond medical treatments can affect patient outcomes.

The study utilized the iKnowMed electronic health record system part of the US Oncology Network. This aggregated database is the largest group of community oncologists in the country and enabled researchers to analyze treatment and outcome trends for an eight-year period. The analysis provided valuable insights into the impact of race and socioeconomic factors on CLL care in real-world community oncology settings.

Dr. Zackon’s findings revealed that Black patients had worse outcomes than White patients with CLL when treated in community oncology settings despite receiving similar treatments for CLL. Additionally, socioeconomic factors such as poverty and lack of access to healthcare also contributed to poorer outcomes for Black patients compared to their White counterparts.

The research highlights the importance of addressing social determinants of health in addition to medical treatments when caring for patients with chronic illnesses like CLL in community oncology settings. It also underscores the need for continued efforts to improve healthcare accessibility and equity for underserved communities.

Overall, this study has significant implications for healthcare providers working in community oncology settings who must be mindful of racial and socioeconomic disparities when treating patients with chronic illnesses like CLL. As technology advances in healthcare data management systems like iKnowMed continue to grow more sophisticated in analyzing data across various demographics, we can expect more insights into these disparities in healthcare outcomes.