Abstract LB332: Social determinants of health and telehealth receipt among US cancer survivors
Authors: Camryn Mae Cohen, Kassandra I. Alcaraz, Avonne E. Connor
Journal: Cancer Research (2025)

Abstract Background: Following the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has risen as a popular alternative to in-person healthcare visits in the United States. Telehealth serves as a promising tool for reducing disparities in access to care, particularly for cancer survivors who experience adverse social conditions and require frequent contact with the healthcare system. Whether experiencing adverse social determinants of health (SDOH) is associated with receipt of telehealth among cancer survivors is unknown. Methods: We utilized cross-sectional data from the National Cancer Institute’s 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6). Experiencing at least one adverse SDOH was defined as a household member experiencing at least one of the following in the past 12 months: cutting or skipping meals because there was not enough money for food; unable to afford to eat balanced meals; worried about being forced to move due to eviction or foreclosure; or lack of reliable transportation keeping someone from medical appointments, work, or getting things needed for daily living. A survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between adverse SDOH and telehealth receipt in the past 12 months (yes/no) among cancer survivors. Estimates were adjusted for time since diagnosis (&amp;lt;1, 2-5, 6-10, 11+ years), age at diagnosis (18-49, 50-64, 65-74, 75+ years), body mass index (&amp;lt;18.5, 18.5-24.9, 25-29.9, 30+), census region (Northeast, Midwest, South, West), sex (male, female), race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, other), smoking status (never, former, current), and a derived comorbidity index (0, 1-2, 3+ of the following conditions: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart condition, lung disease, depression). Results: Of the 900 cancer survivors, 392 (47%) received telehealth. Survivors over the age of 75 years were significantly less likely than 18-49-year-old survivors to receive telehealth (aOR: 0.30 (0.11-0.78, p=0.015). Survivors reporting at least one adverse SDOH were more likely to receive telehealth than survivors reporting no adverse SDOH (70% vs. 43%; OR: 3.07, 1.61-5.83, p=0.001); however, there was no significant difference after adjusting for covariates (aOR: 2.15 (0.96-4.79, p=0.061). The most significant variable associated with receiving telehealth was reporting 1-2 comorbidities: aOR: 2.34 (1.29-4.25, p=0.006) or 3+ comorbidities: aOR: 3.31 (1.44-7.59, p=0.006), compared to reporting no comorbid conditions. Conclusions: Cancer survivors experiencing adverse SDOH and with multiple comorbidities may be more likely to receive telehealth. Future research should explore the role of telehealth in cancer survivorship, particularly for individuals experiencing adverse SDOH. Citation Format: Camryn Mae Cohen, Kassandra I. Alcaraz, Avonne E. Connor. Social determinants of health and telehealth receipt among US cancer survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_2):Abstract nr LB332.