Impact of employment and insurance status on distress in gynecologic oncology patients

Abstract

ObjectivesTo study associations among employment, insurance status, and distress in gynecologic oncology patients; and to evaluate the impact of being unemployed or having no/Medicaid insurance on different distress problem areas. MethodsIn this single institution, cross-sectional analysis of gynecologic oncology patients, we screened for distress and problem areas using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network distress thermometer and problem list at outpatient appointments between 6/2017–9/2017. Primary outcome was self-reported high distress (score ≥ 5). The distress problem list included 5 categories—practical, family, emotional, physical, and other. Employment status included employed, unemployed, homemaker, and retired. Logistic regression was used to predict high distress from employment and insurance statuses, adjusting for relevant covariates. ResultsOf 885 women, 101 (11.4%) were unemployed, and 53 (6.0%) uninsured or had Medicaid coverage. One in five patients (n = 191, 21.6%) indicated high distress. Unemployed patients were more likely than employed to endorse high distress [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.2–5.7, p < 0.001]. Compared to employed patients, a greater proportion of unemployed patients endorsed distress related to practical (p < 0.05), emotional (p < 0.001), physical (p < 0.01), and other (p < 0.05) problems. Uninsured/Medicaid patients were more likely to endorse high distress (aOR = 2.8, 95% CI 1.5–5.1, p < 0.001) and report family (p < 0.001), emotional (p < 0.001), and other (p < 0.01) problems than patients who had Medicare/commercial insurance. ConclusionsGynecologic oncology patients who are unemployed or have no/Medicaid insurance face high distress that appears to arise from issues beyond practical problems, including financial and/or insurance insecurities.