Rural and Urban Cancer Survivors' Follow-Up Care Experiences

Research center:

Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Phone: 859.218.0108

Lead researcher:

Ty Borders, PhD

Contact:

Ty Borders, PhD, 859.218.0108, ty.borders@uky.edu

Project funded:

September 2020

Project completed:

May 2024

Topics:

Cancer, Care management, Health services, Healthcare access, Physicians, Post-acute care, Quality

After completing treatment, cancer survivors require follow-up services for surveillance of cancer recurrence, detection of new cancers, continued care management, and the monitoring of late or long-term treatment side effects. This project examined rural vs. urban differences in cancer survivors' follow-up care experiences by conducting analyses of the 2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), which included a cancer survivors module. Specific aims of this study were:

1. To provide nationally representative estimates and compare/contrast the prevalence of rural and urban cancer survivors' follow-up care experiences.

2. To understand how having a regular PCP is associated with cancer survivors' follow-up care experiences and if this association is stronger among rural compared to urban cancer survivors.

There may be products related to this project; please contact the lead researcher for more information.