Open Access
03-02-2025 | ASO Author Reflections
ASO Author Reflections: Disability and Outcomes Following Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery
Authors:
Shahzaib Zindani, MD, Timothy M. Pawlik, MD, PhD, MPH, MTS, MBA
Published in:
Annals of Surgical Oncology
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Excerpt
Individuals with disabilities represent a substantial and underserved population in the United States, facing unique challenges within the healthcare system.
1 Physical and mental impairments, combined with insufficiently accessible healthcare facilities, contribute to reduced engagement with preventive services, including cancer screenings.
2 For example, women with disabilities are significantly less likely to undergo breast cancer screenings, highlighting a broader issue of healthcare inequity.
2 Additionally, socioeconomic barriers, such as lower employment and education levels, further limit access to necessary healthcare services.
1 Patients with disabilities are often at increased risk of health outcomes, including higher rates of comorbidities and less favorable surgical outcomes.
1,3 While linked to adverse outcomes in chronic conditions and emergency surgeries, the specific impact of disability on complex cancer care remains poorly understood.
4 Therefore, we sought to evaluate postoperative outcomes among patients with disabilities undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery and to identify the effect of disabilities on outcomes following a surgical procedure for a malignant indication. …