Healthcare Disparities in Otolaryngology

Abstract

Purpose of Review The purpose of this review is to summarize some of the recent research studies on healthcare disparities across various subspecialties within otolaryngology. This review also highlights the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on disparities and proposes potential interventions to mitigate disparities. Recent Findings Significant healthcare disparities in care and treatment outcomes have been reported across all areas of otolaryngology. Notable differences in survival, disease recurrence, and overall mortality have been noted based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), insurance status, etc. This is most well-researched in head and neck cancer (HNC) within otolaryngology. Summary Healthcare disparities have been identified by numerous research studies within otolaryngology for many vulnerable groups that include racial and ethnic minority groups, low-income populations, and individuals from rural areas among many others. These populations continue to experience suboptimal access to timely, quality otolaryngologic care that exacerbate disparities in health outcomes.

Perspectives on Referral Pathways for Timely Head and Neck Cancer Care

“…Managing cancer care for patients with HNC and their families is challenging due to various obstacles, including delays in HNC referrals, diagnosis, treatment initiation, and postoperative radiation treatment delays, which are the only quality metric in head and neck oncology. 3 There is so much to learn about the barriers to and facilitators of timely HNC identified by Batool et al 2 A salient lesson from their study is the important role that nonotolaryngology clinicians (ie, dentists and primary care practitioners [PCPs]) have in the early diagnosis of HNC. Given that a universally approved method for screening asymptomatic individuals is lacking, dentists and PCPs are often the first to detect HNC-during routine checkups or when patients present with suggestive lesions.…”

“…and male and female otolaryngology−head and neck surgery faculty members (R.K.V.S., E.M.R., and R.W.B.). These guides, informed by the socioecological framework, aimed to explore barriers, facilitators, and improvement strategies in HNC referral pathways across individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and policy levels . Before implementation, the guides were tested and 2 coauthors (S.B.…”

“…Up to 60% of patients with HNC present with advanced disease . Social determinants of health, such as race and ethnicity, health insurance, travel distance, and socioeconomic status pose barriers to timely HNC care . Black patients with HNC experience inferior survival rates compared with White patients .…”

“…2 Social determinants of health, such as race and ethnicity, health insurance, travel distance, and socioeconomic status pose barriers to timely HNC care. 3 Black patients with HNC experience inferior survival rates compared with White patients. [4][5][6][7][8] Patients with Medicaid or uninsured status have poorer HNC outcomes compared with those who have private insurance.…”

Sustainable polymers targeted at the surgical and otolaryngological applications: Circularity and future

“…It was concluded that due to climate changes and worsening air pollutions there is an increase of number of patients with exacerbate allergic rhinitis, asthma and other respiratory problems such as severe chronic rhinosinusitis. 5,6 Together with the number of patients, the hospitalization costs will grow. 7 Additionally, the problems associated with the ear, nose and throat (ENT) disease burden is largely underrecognized in social determinants of health.…”