The Insight Corner Hub: The Importance of Educating Healthcare Providers on Healthcare Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Care

Multiple myeloma is a disease that disproportionately affects certain racial and ethnic groups⁴. For instance, the death rate is higher for Black patients than for white patients who have the disease⁴. This disparity is often due to unequal access to care and new treatments⁴. Therefore, it's crucial for all healthcare providers (HCPs) to be educated about these disparities. This knowledge can help them better understand their patients' concerns, individualize treatment plans, and ultimately provide more equitable care. 

Main Points to Address in Education

1. Understanding the Disparities

 HCPs need to understand that disparities exist in multiple myeloma care. For example, Black patients have a higher death rate than white patients⁴. Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black patients have certain characteristics that contribute to poorer survival than their white counterparts².

2. Recognizing the Causes

Disparities in healthcare occur due to a variety of factors such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location⁵⁶⁸. These factors can affect access to care, quality of healthcare services, and health outcomes⁵⁶⁸.

3. Addressing the Disparities

HCPs should be encouraged to examine their own practices to ensure equality in medical care⁵. They should also be aware of their role in mitigating health disparities which can improve patient outcomes at the point of care³.

4. Incorporating Patient Data

Using patient data as well as team-driven data to identify problems and inform strategies for change can assist clinics and their teams in mitigating health disparities³.

5. Setting Action Plans

After identifying the disparities and understanding their causes, HCPs should set action plans to incorporate strategies to eliminate disparities in care for diverse multiple myeloma patient populations¹.

Conclusion

In conclusion, educating HCPs about healthcare disparities in multiple myeloma care is not just about imparting knowledge. It's about equipping them with the understanding and tools they need to provide equitable care for all patients.

References:

(1) Disparities in Care and Treatment of Multiple Myeloma - WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/multiple-myeloma/multiple-myeloma-care-treatment-disparities.

(2) How Can the Myeloma Community Reduce Disparities in Care?. https://ashpublications.org/ashclinicalnews/news/5612/How-Can-the-Myeloma-Community-Reduce-Disparities.

(3) Reducing disparities in health care | Causes of health disparity | AMA. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/patient-support-advocacy/reducing-disparities-health-care.

(4) Addressing Healthcare Disparities to Achieve Health Equity - HealthStream. https://www.healthstream.com/resource/articles/addressing-healthcare-disparities-to-achieve-health-equity.

(5) Addressing the Health Disparities Problem - EMU Online. https://online.emich.edu/degrees/healthcare/rn-to-bsn/the-health-disparities-problem/.

(6) Team-Based Strategies Could Reduce Racial Disparities in Multiple .... https://www.thecardiologyadvisor.com/home/topics/practice-management/multiple-myeloma-team-based-strategies-reduce-racial-disparities-treatment/.

(7) Identifying and Overcoming Racial Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Care .... https://ashpublications.org/blood/article/140/Supplement%201/5103/489306/Identifying-and-Overcoming-Racial-Disparities-in.

(8) Nurses Must Understand Health Disparities to Provide Effective Patient .... https://voice.ons.org/news-and-views/nurses-must-understand-health-disparities-to-provide-effective-patient-education.

(9) undefined. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2022-160190.