Data from 186 community-based health organizations in 13 states found that despite higher rates of primary care visits, patients experiencing social risks like concerns about food or rent were less likely to complete screenings when recommended by doctors.
That means access to care is not the main barrier to cancer screening – but these results are EXPLORATORY. Some of their correlations don’t make much sense. The insinuation that doctors are less likely to order cervical, colorectal and breast cancer screenings because a patient may have “food insecurity”, for example, or that a doctor won’t order a cervical cancer screening if you don’t have a car. Doctors are so busy they can’t remember what anyone looks like, they aren’t asking how you got to the office.
What may be true is that people with social issues are less likely to complete ordered screenings but mental health issues are not the fault of rural doctors or those helping people in community health centers. Mammography was the only screening that had consistent follow-though.
Follow-through was always the issue with raising health insurance costs 400% to offer health care for free to the poor. There is no evidence it has improved outcomes. The system is now Too Big To Fail but we spend a lot more than Canada and England per capita and our wait times are nearly as bad.
We can’t spend more. Inflation has already caused the insecurity that the authors blame for lack of preventive care, the American public delivered a rebuke to the Democratic party for the 44% higher food costs and increased demands across the board. Even California, behind only Hawaii and Maryland in partisan skew, had 70% of counties vote for the Republican candidate because of crime, homelessness, and the nation’s highest gasoline, food, and utility costs.
Asymptomatic people may not go to a doctor’s appointment if they are worried about how far they can drive their car this week.
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