Identifying Smoking Status and Smoking Cessation Using a Data Linkage Between the Kentucky Cancer Registry and Health Claims Data

Abstract

PURPOSE Linkage of cancer registry data with complementary data sources can be an informative way to expand what is known about patients and their treatment and improve delivery of care. The purpose of this study was to explore whether patient smoking status and smoking-cessation modalities data in the Kentucky Cancer Registry (KCR) could be augmented by linkage with health claims data. METHODS The KCR conducted a data linkage with health claims data from Medicare, Medicaid, state employee insurance, Humana, and Anthem. Smoking status was defined as documentation of personal history of tobacco use (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision [ICD-9] code V15.82) or tobacco use disorder (ICD-9 305.1) before and after a cancer diagnosis. Use of smoking-cessation treatments before and after the cancer diagnosis was defined as documentation of smoking-cessation counseling (Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System codes 99406, 99407, G0375, and G0376) or pharmacotherapy (eg, nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, varenicline). RESULTS From 2007 to 2011, among 23,703 patients in the KCR, we discerned a valid prediagnosis smoking status for 78%. KCR data only (72%), claims data only (6%), and a combination of both data sources (22%) were used to determine valid smoking status. Approximately 4% of patients with cancer identified as smokers (n = 11,968) and were provided smoking-cessation counseling, and 3% were prescribed pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. CONCLUSION Augmenting KCR data with medical claims data increased capture of smoking status and use of smoking-cessation modalities. Cancer registries interested in exploring smoking status to influence treatment and research activities could consider a similar approach, particularly if their registry does not capture smoking status for a majority of patients.

Linking the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research Registry to the California Cancer Registry and California Hospital Patient Discharge Data

“…In this large data linkage of HCTs performed in California over nearly 3 decades, we successfully matched 89% of patients reported to the CIBMTR to the CCR and/or PDD, which is comparable to or higher than similar linkages, including the linkage of CIBMTR data to Medicare administrative claims data [ 23 ] and linkages of state cancer registries with administrative claims data [ 24 , 25 ]. The likelihood of successful matching was significantly reduced if complete identifiers were missing and/or if HCT occurred prior to 2010; hematologic malignancy type and HCT center characteristics also were associated with the likelihood of matching.…”

Receipt of and Spending on Cessation Medication Among US Adults With Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance, 2010 and 2017

“…Tobacco users. We identified tobacco users by the presence of claims with any tobacco use-related codes in the current and/or previous year in outpatient and inpatient settings (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] codes 305.1x and V15.82 12,13 ; International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-10-CM] codes F17.2x, Z72.0x, and Z87.891 14 ; Current Procedural Terminology codes 1034F and 1035F 15 ; and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System codes G9276, G9792, and G9902. 16 FDA-approved cessation medications.…”

Frequency of tobacco use and the attitudes of health professions students on tobacco use in Montenegro: Global health professions student survey in Montenegro

“…Kao davaoci zdravstvenih usluga, oni igraju ključnu ulogu u savetovanju pušača da prestanu sa pušenjem, kao i motivisanju ljudi da ne počinju sa konzumiranjem duvana [8]. Zdravstveni radnici bi trebalo da osobama obolelim od karcinoma daju savete o povećanom riziku koji je povezan sa nastavkom pušenja, o načinima na koji mogu da prestanu sa konzumiranjem cigareta, te ih mogu informisati o postojećim tretmanima za odvikavanje, koje pokriva njihovo zdravstveno osiguranje [9].…”

“…As health service providers, they play a key part in counselling smokers on smoking cessation, as well as in motivating people to refrain from taking up tobacco consumption [8]. Health workers should advise people suffering from carcinoma on the elevated risk linked to the continuation of smoking, as well as on the ways that they can stop smoking, and can also inform these patients on the existing treatments for smoking cessation that are covered by the patients' medical insurance [9].…”