Disparities in utilization of outpatient surgical care among children.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to quantify disparities in the utilization of outpatient pediatric surgical care and to examine the extent to which neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with access to care among children. METHODS: Clinic "no-shows" were examined among children scheduled from 2017 to 2019 at seven pediatric surgery clinics associated with a tertiary care children's hospital. The association between Area Deprivation Index, a neighborhood-level measure of socioeconomic disadvantage, and other patient factors with clinic no-shows was examined using multivariable logistic regression models. Difficulties in accessing postoperative care in particular were explored in a subgroup analysis of postoperative (within 90 days) clinic visits after appendectomy or inguinal/umbilical hernia repairs. RESULTS: Among 10,162 patients, 16% had at least 1 no-show for a clinic appointment. Area Deprivation Index (most deprived decile adjusted odds ratio 3.17, 95% confidence interval 2.20-4.58, P < .001), Black race (adjusted odds ratio 3.30, 95% confidence interval 2.70-4.00, P < .001), and public insurance (adjusted odds ratio 2.75, 95% confidence interval 2.38-3.31, P < .001) were associated with having at least 1 no-show. Similar associations were identified among 2,399 children scheduled for postoperative clinic visits after undergoing appendectomy or inguinal/umbilical hernia repair, among whom 20% were a no-show. CONCLUSION: Race, insurance type, and neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage are associated with disparities in utilization of outpatient pediatric surgical care. Challenges accessing routine outpatient care among disadvantaged children may be one mechanism through which disparate outcomes result among children requiring surgical care.

Predictive Risk Factors for Continued Smoking after the Diagnosis of a Genitourinary Malignancy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine risk factors for continued smoking following a diagnosis of a genitourinary (GU) malignancy. Smoking is a well established risk factor in the development of cancers involving the GU tract. Unfortunately, a large percentage of patients continue to smoke or relapse after cancer diagnosis; by doing so, there is an increased risk of recurrence, poor survival rates, treatment complications, secondary primary cancers, and other chronic smoking related illnesses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and five patients who presented to a Urologic Oncology clinic at a single tertiary treatment center were given smoking cessation counseling and pharmacotherapy, as well as a questionnaire which was used to identify smoking status, demographics, and behavioral/psychosocial characteristics. Patients were followed for a minimum of 1 year with a median length of follow up for 13 months. RESULTS: 91% of patients enrolled in the study continued smoking at survey completion. After accounting for age, ethnicity, education and cigarettes consumed/day, 5 variables were independently associated with an increased risk of continued smoking: smoking 20 or more cigarettes per day, less than 2 prior quit attempts, anxiety and/or depression, fear of cancer recurrence, and home secondhand smoke exposure. CONCLUSION: The role of the urologist is imperative for encouraging smoking cessation. While every patient should receive adequate counseling regarding smoking at the time of a GU malignancy diagnosis, identifying patients with the risk factors noted in this study and augmenting smoking cessation efforts may result in stronger efforts to quit and prevention of long-term complications.