Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and Their Impact on Breast Cancer Medication Adherence
Maxor recently conducted a retrospective analysis of claims data to understand the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) on adherence to CDK 4/6 inhibitors, a class of medications used to treat hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. 1 This study aimed to uncover how SDOH and lifestyle risk factors correlate with treatment adherence, providing insights to develop more effective, targeted interventions for patients.
Study overview
The analysis spanned from January 2022 to December 2023, focusing on patients who began therapy after January 1, 2022. The goal was to understand the effects of nonmedical factors on health outcomes and adherence to prescribed treatments.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), SDOH encompass a range of nonmedical factors that significantly influence health, including healthcare access, education, economic stability, and environmental factors.2 Studies show that over 80% of factors influencing health outcomes fall outside of direct clinical care. 3
SDOH factors used in study
In our analysis, we evaluated adherence using the Proportion of Days Covered (PDC) method. The average patient age in the study was 56, with an overall adherence rate of 86.8%. The SDOH factors we examined included:
- Transportation: Lack of access to personal transportation
- Access to Care: Living in remote or low-population areas
- Digital and Health Literacy: Limited health awareness and low education levels
- Social Isolation: Unmarried status or small household size
- Economic Stability: Low income or limited financial resources
Key findings
The findings highlight the importance of considering SDOH when treating breast cancer patients:
- Digital and Health Literacy: Low health literacy was the most significant SDOH factor contributing to non-compliance, with 40% of non-adherent patients affected.
- Older Patients: Patients over age 65 were at greater risk for non-adherence.
- SDOH Burden: Patients who struggled with adherence often faced multiple SDOH challenges.
Learn more
For further details on SDOH risk factors affecting breast cancer treatment and the role pharmacists play in addressing these challenges, please read our article in Pharmacy Times: Social Determinants of Health Matter When Treating Patients With Breast Cancer.
References
- Journal of Managed Care + Pharmacy. October 2024. Accessed on November 8, 2024. Link
- Journal of Managed Care + Pharmacy. October 2024. Accessed on November 8, 2024. Link
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). January 17, 2024. Accessed on November 8, 2024. Link
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