LISTEN: Regular cancer screenings are a necessary part of preventative health care. But research from the University of Georgia suggests that not all patients are getting the same access. GPB's Sofi Gratas explains.

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A University of Georgia study found not all patients are given the same access to cancer screenings in Georgia.

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Regular cancer screenings are a necessary part of preventative health care. But research from the University of Georgia suggests that not all patients are getting the same access.  

The study, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, focuses on care at federally qualified health centers, or FQHCs. These centers are part of the safety net of health care, created for people who are under or uninsured or lack easy access to medical care but widely accessible. 

When study author Eunhae Shin, assistant professor at the Department of Health Policy and Management, found gaps in cancer screening rates among patients of these centers, she wanted to learn more. 

"We found this huge variation across FQHCs in terms of socioeconomic vulnerability," Shin said. "That was most surprising to me. And also the fact that that translates to different cancer screening rates was alarming."

In the communities where these centers operate, Shin mapped vulnerabilities across housing type, transportation, income and racial and ethnic minority status. 

Her analysis of over 1,000 federally qualified health centers across the U.S. showed that lower rates of cancer screenings followed patients with higher social vulnerabilities — including lower incomes, chronic conditions and among those who live in states without Medicaid expansion, like Georgia. The highest opportunities for disparities showed up in screenings for colon cancer. 

Policies to better fund federally qualified health centers could help with better outreach for primary and preventative care, especially as these centers deal with a flux in federal funding. 

"They have to bear disproportionately greater burden treating uninsured patients and also more uncompensated care," Shin said. 

A full list of federally qualified health centers can be found on the Health Resources and Services Administration website. 

Tags: federally qualified health centers  University of Georgia  UGA  cancer  Health  research  community health centers  GPB News  Georgia 
GPB’s Health Reporting is supported by Georgia Health Initiative

Georgia Health Initiative is a non-partisan, private foundation advancing innovative ideas to help improve the health of Georgians. Learn more at georgiahealthinitiative.org