Value in Health | 2021
PCN120 Clinical and Economic Consequences of Delayed Care Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic- Focus on Mammograms and Breast Cancer
Abstract
Objectives: Delays in elective and non-urgent procedures along with economic hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in long-term negative consequences for women across the US. Time-sensitive and lifesaving cancer screening and care have been canceled and delayed. This abstract will discuss the devastating and irreversible impact that these delays and cancellations in screening, diagnosis, and treatment have had on women’s health and how they have exacerbated the deep-seated racial and ethnic health disparities in the US. Methods: Secondary research was conducted to identify the procedure rates, and further analysis was undergone to understand the willingness to attend screenings and care. This analysis also explores the link between COVID-19, healthcare inequities, and the impact on women’s health, with a focus on mammograms and breast cancer. Results: A survey of 600 breast care patients revealed that 60% had delays in diagnostic imaging and two-thirds had reconstruction surgery delayed. Another survey suggests that nearly half of breast cancer patients have delayed care during the pandemic. Additionally, an analysis by the nonprofit Families USA estimated that 5.4 million workers lost health insurance during the first three months of the pandemic. This financial instability and inability to pay for care disproportionately affected minority women, as the analysis revealed more women have lost their jobs compared to men, with black and Hispanic women experiencing even steeper declines. In June, the director of the National Cancer Institute proclaimed that a conservative model forecasts nearly 10,000 excess deaths from breast and colon cancer in the next decade because of drops in screening and treatment. Conclusions: As the industry emerges from the pandemic, new solutions and partnerships should address ways to develop effective and patient-tailored strategies for healthcare systems to provide adequate care for breast cancer patients, reduce inequities, and transform the future of women’s health.