THE IMPACT OF HEALTH-INSURANCE ON AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION WITHCOLORECTAL-CANCER

This study evaluates the impact of health insurance as a substitute fo r social class on tumor location, presentation, stage, grade, and age- adjusted survival in an African-American population. Patients were str atified by insurance into two groups: group 1 (private insurance and M edicare parts A and B) and group 2 (Medicaid, Medical Charity, self-pa y, uninsured, or unemployed), A total of 212 patients were evaluated. Of these, 210 patients were insured or had Medical Charity, and two we re uninsured. The type of health insurance did not significantly affec t age-adjusted survival, However, age and stage at presentation were p ositive predictors of age-adjusted survival. Higher socioeconomic stat us was associated with group 1 health insurance.