Date of Conferral

2-21-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Lee Caplan

Abstract

Research has demonstrated that comorbid conditions like depression in cancer patients reduce quality of life, prolong recovery, and reduce survival time of the cancer patient. Although other studies have investigated the issue of depression among cancer patients, there is a dearth of studies looking at differences in taking depression medication with health insurance as a source of disparity. Using survey data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), and the health belief model as the theoretical framework, this study had two purposes. The first was to determine if there were differences in the likelihood of taking medication for depression based on health insurance status (not having vs. having health insurance) among adult breast, colorectal, skin, prostate, and/or lung cancer patients. The second was to determine whether there were differences in the likelihood of taking medication for depression based on type of health insurance (public vs. private) among those same patients who had health insurance. Although bivariate logistic regression analyses found no statistically significant differences, multivariate logistic regression analyses controlling for gender, race, and age found that those with health insurance were 2.128 times as likely to take depression medication as those without health insurance, and that among those with health insurance, those with public insurance were 2.168 times as likely to take depression medication as those with private insurance. The study's findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, culturally competent care, and enhanced screening to ensure equitable access to depression treatment for all cancer patients, regardless of insurance status, particularly for underserved racial populations, in oncology practices.

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