Keratinocyte carcinoma large burden among racioethnic minorities in US

Abstract

Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic white populations incur greater economic burden for the management of keratinocyte carcinoma (KC) as compared to non-Hispanic whites in the US. This is the main finding of a nationwide, cross-sectional study that examined healthcare-resource use and costs by race and ethnicity in patients with KC in the US using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) from 1996 to 2015. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles and The Center for Dermatology Care in Thousand Oaks, California, USA. The analysis included pooled data from a total of 54 503 447 patients with KC, of whom 97% were non-Hispanic white, 1.5% Hispanic white and 0.3% non-Hispanic black. Over the 20-year study period, non-Hispanic black and Hispanic white patients used significantly more healthcare resources and incurred higher overall costs related to KC per patient per year (PPPY) than non-Hispanic whites. In particular, non-Hispanic black patients and Hispanic white patients had significantly more ambulatory visits PPPY for their KC than non-Hispanic white patients (13.13 and 5.40, respectively, vs 3.50) and incurred significantly higher associated costs PPPY ($5089 and $1509, respectively, vs $1131; year 2017 US dollars). Total costs related to KC PPPY, including ambulatory and emergency-department visits, inpatient care and prescription medications, were significantly higher among non-Hispanic black patients and Hispanic white patients, compared to non-Hispanic white patients ($13 430 and $2091, respectively, vs $1290). Future efforts aimed at reducing time to diagnosis and early detection and treatment will likely be beneficial in caring for these populations with KC, conclude the researchers.