Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Lung Cancer Surgery Outcomes in the USA

Strategic Insights -

Investigators at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center in California have conducted a study on racial/ethnic disparities in lung cancer surgery outcomes among patients undergoing pulmonary resections. The research, published in the journal Epidemiologia, aimed to assess these disparities by analyzing data from a large, multicenter, and ethnically diverse integrated health system. The study found that, despite parity across clinical outcomes, patient encounter-related differences still exist within the system.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study included 645 patients undergoing pulmonary resections for lung cancer at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center from January 2016 to December 2020.
  • Non-Hispanic White patients tended to be older and live in the least deprived neighborhoods, while Asian patients had the highest percentage of patients insured by Medicaid.
  • Multivariable analysis showed Asian patients having lower odds of 30-day emergency department visits (adjusted odds ratio 0.51; 95% CI 0.27-0.98), while those with Medicaid insurance had higher odds of 30-day emergency department visits (adjusted odds ratio 3.29; 95% CI 1.26-8.59).
  • The study concluded that understanding racial/ethnic disparities in care requires tracking disparities in patient encounter-related outcomes, in addition to clinical outcomes.
  • The research was conducted by Ivana Vasic and colleagues at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center and was published in the journal Epidemiologia.
  • Additional authors on the research include Kian C. Banks, Julia Wei, Leyda Marrero Morales, Zeuz A. Islas, Nathan J. Alcasid, Cynthia Susai, Angela Sun, Katemanee Burapachaisri, Ashish R. Patel, Simon K. Ashiku, and Jeffrey B. Velotta.

Statistics:

  • 645 patients undergoing pulmonary resections for lung cancer at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center from 2016 to 2020.
  • 30% of patients were insured by Medicaid.
  • 60% of patients were non-Hispanic White.
  • 20% of patients were Asian.
  • 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to estimate the odds ratios.
  • Adjusted odds ratio for 30-day emergency department visits among Asian patients was 0.51 (95% CI 0.27-0.98).

Sources:

  • Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Lung Cancer Surgery Outcomes in the USA. Epidemiologia, 2025,6(2):18.
  • https://doi.org/10.3390/epidemiologia6020018 (a free version of the journal article is available online).