ASPO Abstracts
Implications for Social Isolation and Delay of Cancer Screening and Care during COVID-19 among Sexual and Gender Diverse Populations
Category: Cancer Health Disparities
Conference Year: 2023
Abstract Body:
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between perceived social isolation (PSI) and delay of cancer screening and care (delay) during the COVID-19 pandemic among sexual and gender diverse (SGD) cancer survivors, and to determine if this association varied by race/ethnicity. Methods: Data from the National LGBT Cancer Network's OUT: The National Cancer Survey was used. Adult SGD cancer survivors who resided in the U.S. were recruited and administered an online survey in September 2020. Data from participants (N=3,023) who responded to survey questions regarding both PSI and delay were included in the current study. Descriptive statistics were generated, and logistical regression analyses were conducted. Results: SGD cancer survivors with high PSI were more likely to delay their cancer screening and care in comparison to SGD survivors with low PSI (OR=1.259; 95% CI=1.071-1.479; p=0.005). American Indian, Asian American, Middle Eastern/North African, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander SGD cancer survivors were nearly three times as likely as White SGD cancer survivors to delay (OR=2.91; 95% CI=1.55-5.51; p=0.001). Biracial and multiracial SGD cancer survivors were nearly four times as likely as their White counterparts to delay (OR=3.65; 95% CI=1.58-8.41; p=0.002). Compared to their non-Hispanic peers, Hispanic SGD cancer survivors were more likely to delay (OR=1.42; 95% CI=1.01-1.98; p=0.042). Conclusion: Our study revealed that efforts to decrease the delay of cancer screening and care in SGD populations should consider the intersections of racial/ethnic and SGD identity. Future research is needed to understand how PSI manifests across the cancer care continuum for SGD populations.
Keywords: sexual and gender minority; cancer survivorship