Children with inoperable brain tumors die sooner if they live in a poorer neighborhood Kids from wealthy neighborhoods survived more than twice as long as those from poor areas Less education also had an impact on a child’s treatment MONDAY, June 24, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. children with inoperable brain tumors appear to die sooner and find it harder to get care if they live in poorer neighborhoods, a new study finds.
Children from higher-income areas had more than double the average survival time than kids from poorer neighborhoods -- 480 days versus 235 days, depending if a census tract had an average household income higher or lower than $50,000. Kids in wealthier neighborhoods were also able to travel significantly longer distances to get the best medical care, 1,550 miles versus 1,114 miles for children in lower-income areas, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Neurosurgery . “Children with these inoperable gliomas require access to specialized centers of care and clinical trials in the hopes of extending their lives, yet we are seeing that socioeconomic factors are linked to worsening survival,” said lead researcher Dr.
John Lee , an incoming neurosurgery resident at University of Michigan Health. “It’s critical that we understand the reasons for this disparity, so that we can ensure all patients have opportunities for life-prolonging care,” Lee added in a university news release. The study tracked nearly 100 children being treated for two .
