Other Titles

Rising Star Poster/Presentation

Abstract

Background: Despite advancements in cellular therapy, disparities in access and outcomes persist, influenced by race, income, and insurance status. Neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES)—encompassing factors like area-level income, healthcare access, and collective social resources—may further exacerbate these inequities. However, its influence across the full trajectory of care remains unclear.

Objective: This scoping review synthesizes literature on nSES and its impact on referral, treatment receipt, long-term follow-up care, and survival among patients undergoing cellular therapy.

Study Design: Following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, PRISMA-ScR standards, and an a priori protocol, five databases were searched in July 2024. U.S.-based studies linking nSES with cell therapy access and survival outcomes in patients with hematologic disorders were included. Evidence was selected and charted using Covidence software.

Results: Of 1,001 records identified, 23 studies were included, examining receipt (n=8), follow-up care (n=1), and survival (n=15) among patients aged <1 to 83 years. Studies collectively represented at least 214,468 adults and 5,665 pediatric patients. Neighborhoods were defined using four different spatial units, with ZIP code most common. Of 11 nSES measures, median household income was used most frequently. No study evaluated referral. Significant associations between nSES and cell therapy receipt were found in 7 of 8 studies (87.5%). Associations with survival (9 of 15 studies, 60%) varied by time point, survival metric, and therapy type. Patients in low nSES areas had lower early survival post-alloHSCT, though findings were inconsistent for autoHSCT.

Conclusions: nSES appears to be a critical determinant of cell therapy receipt and early survival, particularly among alloHSCT recipients. This observed vulnerability could reflect a period of immune reconstitution during which environmental exposures may have a greater impact on outcomes. However, findings are limited by heterogeneity of nSES measures. Future studies should address referral patterns, long-term follow-up, and disparities in autoHSCT and CAR-T, prioritizing diverse populations and stable spatial units. Consideration of donor nSES may also provide added insight. Clinically, efforts to improve access, follow-up care, and survivorship are needed.

Notes

References:

1. U.S. Census Bureau. Considerations when working with ACS data. U.S. Census Bureau, 2019.

2. Ahmed N, Shahzad M, Shippey E, et al. Socioeconomic and racial disparity in chimeric antigen receptor T Cell therapy access. Transplant Cell Ther. 2022;28(7):358-364.

3. Dehn J, Chitphakdithai P, Shaw BE, et al. Likelihood of proceeding to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in the United States after search activation in the national registry: Impact of patient age, disease, and search prognosis. Transplant Cell Ther. 2021;27(2):184.e1–184.e13.

4. Emole J, Lawal O, Lupak O, Dias A, Shune L, Yusuf K. Demographic differences among patients treated with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in the United States. Cancer Med. 2022;11(23):4440–4448.

5. Paulson K, Brazauskas R, Khera N, et al. Inferior access to allogeneic transplant in disadvantaged populations: A Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research Analysis. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2019;25(10):2086–2090.

6. Arcaya MC, Tucker-Seeley RD, Kim R, Schnake-Mahl A, So M, Subramanian SV. Research on neighborhood effects on health in the United States: A systematic review of study characteristics. Soc Sci Med. 2016;168:16–29.

7. Milbrath GR, DeGuzman PB. Neighborhood: A Conceptual Analysis. Public Health Nurs. 2015;32(4):349–358.

8. Pickett KE, Pearl M. Multilevel analyses of neighbourhood socioeconomic context and health outcomes: a critical review. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2001;55(2):111–122.

Complete reference list attached as separate document file.

Description

This session examines how neighborhood socioeconomic conditions shape access to and outcomes of cellular therapy — a treatment that uses stem cells or immune cells to fight cancer. Attendees will explore emerging evidence on geographic disparities in cancer care and consider opportunities for nursing research and practice to advance health equity.

Author Details

Danica Jhoelle Dorlette, PhD(c); Olivia Mead, BSN, RN; Lawrence Bossong, DDS; Sanghee Hong, MD; Jingjing Shang, PhD, FAAN; Arlene Smaldone, PhD, CPNP, CDCES, FAAN

Sigma Membership

Alpha Zeta

Type

Poster

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Other

Research Approach

Other

Keywords:

Cultural Context and Care, Cellular Therapy, Socioeconomics, Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status, Socioeconomic Status, Survival Outcomes

Conference Name

48th Biennial Convention

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Conference Year

2025

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

Invited Presentation

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2025-12-10

Click on the above link to access the poster.

Additional Files

References.pdf (157 kB)

Share

COinS
 

Mapping Neighborhood Socioeconomics Across the Cellular Therapy Continuum: A Scoping Review

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Background: Despite advancements in cellular therapy, disparities in access and outcomes persist, influenced by race, income, and insurance status. Neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES)—encompassing factors like area-level income, healthcare access, and collective social resources—may further exacerbate these inequities. However, its influence across the full trajectory of care remains unclear.

Objective: This scoping review synthesizes literature on nSES and its impact on referral, treatment receipt, long-term follow-up care, and survival among patients undergoing cellular therapy.

Study Design: Following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, PRISMA-ScR standards, and an a priori protocol, five databases were searched in July 2024. U.S.-based studies linking nSES with cell therapy access and survival outcomes in patients with hematologic disorders were included. Evidence was selected and charted using Covidence software.

Results: Of 1,001 records identified, 23 studies were included, examining receipt (n=8), follow-up care (n=1), and survival (n=15) among patients aged <1 to 83 years. Studies collectively represented at least>214,468 adults and 5,665 pediatric patients. Neighborhoods were defined using four different spatial units, with ZIP code most common. Of 11 nSES measures, median household income was used most frequently. No study evaluated referral. Significant associations between nSES and cell therapy receipt were found in 7 of 8 studies (87.5%). Associations with survival (9 of 15 studies, 60%) varied by time point, survival metric, and therapy type. Patients in low nSES areas had lower early survival post-alloHSCT, though findings were inconsistent for autoHSCT.

Conclusions: nSES appears to be a critical determinant of cell therapy receipt and early survival, particularly among alloHSCT recipients. This observed vulnerability could reflect a period of immune reconstitution during which environmental exposures may have a greater impact on outcomes. However, findings are limited by heterogeneity of nSES measures. Future studies should address referral patterns, long-term follow-up, and disparities in autoHSCT and CAR-T, prioritizing diverse populations and stable spatial units. Consideration of donor nSES may also provide added insight. Clinically, efforts to improve access, follow-up care, and survivorship are needed.