Abstract
This study examined racial/ethnic differences in the use of high-quality hospitals among thyroid cancer patients. The study included adult patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 identified in the California Cancer Registry linked with hospital discharge records. Hospital quality was defined using a composite thyroid cancer-specific hospital quality score. Black (risk ratio [RR] 0.75, 95% CI 0.70–0.80), Hispanic (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.71–0.75), and Asian/Pacific Islander patients (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.84–0.89) were less likely to be treated in high-quality hospitals than non-Hispanic White patients. This disparity persisted after adjusting for insurance status and socioeconomic status.
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflict of interest. This work was conducted with support from a Stanford Cancer Institute – 2018 Cancer Innovation Award. The ideas and opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the State of California, Department of Public Health, the National Cancer Institute, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or their Contractors and Subcontractors.