Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34762300›Full record

ArticleThe Laryngoscope2022

Geographic Barriers Affect Follow-Up Care in Head and Neck Cancer.

Tooba Alwani, Jennifer N Shehan, Jessica LeClair, Taylor F Mahoney, Pratima Agarwal, Salil T Chaudhry, Judy J Wang, Jacob P Noordzij, Lauren F Tracy, Heather A Edwards and 4 more

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Laryngoscope, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 28% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Associations Between Neighborhood Social Vulnerability and the Distribution of Rhinologists in the United States.Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
    Article
  4. Long-term outcomes among individuals living with and beyond head and neck cancer: a scoping review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Tooba AlwaniDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.ORCID 0000-0002-3700-9063
Jennifer N ShehanBoston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.ORCID 0000-0001-9902-1503
Jessica LeClairDepartment of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Taylor F MahoneyDepartment of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Pratima AgarwalDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Salil T ChaudhryBoston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Judy J WangBoston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.ORCID 0000-0003-4905-6593
Jacob P NoordzijDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Lauren F TracyDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Heather A EdwardsDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Gregory GrilloneDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.ORCID 0000-0002-7243-7522
Andrew R SalamaDepartment of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Boston, Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Scharukh M JalisiDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Anand K DevaiahDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.ORCID 0000-0002-4375-0421
Boston University · USBoston Medical Center · USBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · US

Funding

Interdisciplinary Training for BiostatisticiansT32GM074905 · NIGMS · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI WHITE, LAURA FORSBERG · 2005 to 2019
$3.0M
NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM074905
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectives/hypothesisFollow-up care in head and neck cancers (HNC) is critical in managing patient health. However, social determinants of health (SDOH) can create difficulties in maintaining follow-up care. The study goal is to explore how SDOH impacts maintenance of HNC follow-up care appointments.

methodsA systematic retrospective chart review of 877 HNC patients diagnosed in the past 10 years a safety-net tertiary care hospital with systems to help reduce care disparities. Cohort groups were identified and compared against protocols for follow-up. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests, two-sample t-tests, and simple linear regression.

resultsThe average length of follow-up time in months and average total number of follow-ups over 5 years were 32.96 (34.60) and 9.24 (7.87), respectively. There was no significant difference in follow-up care between United States (US) versus non-US born and English versus non-English speaking patients. Race/ethnicity, county median household income, insurance status, and county educational attainment were not associated with differences in follow-up. However, living a greater distance from the hospital was associated with lower follow-up length and less frequency in follow-up (P < .0001).

conclusionWhile income, primary language, country of birth, race/ethnicity, insurance status, and markers of educational attainment do not appear to impact HNC follow-up at our safety-net, tertiary care institution, and distance from hospital remains an important contributor to disparities in care. This study shows that many barriers to care can be addressed in a model that addresses SDOH, but there are barriers that still require additional systems and resources. Laryngoscope, 132:1022-1028, 2022.

Indexed as

AftercareHead and Neck NeoplasmsHumansInsurance CoverageRetrospective StudiesSocial Determinants of HealthUnited Statesfollow-upfollow-up caregeographicHead and neck cancerhealthcare disparitiessocial determinants of healthsocioeconomiczip code

Identifiers

PMID34762300
PMCPMC9007826
OpenAlexW3212378980

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.