Breast Cancer Disparities: a Social Network Analysis Prospective

• Activity Number: 227
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, August 4, 2014 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Government Statistics Section
• Author(s): Shun Zhang*+
• Companies: National Center for Primary Care
• Keywords: Breast Cancer ; Health Disparities ; Social Network Analysis

Abstract

Objective: Racial disparities various among communities in breast cancer mortality. New Medicaid claim data offered national provider identification number which apply an opportunity to link patients with their providers as a social network. The purpose of this study is to discover the patterns of patient-provider social network which may affect the breast cancer mortality variations. Methods: We used Medicaid claim data in US to analysis different community's patient-provider network propriety and compared it with different communities. Results: We found that breast cancer patients in less disparities community have more degrees and more edges with different type of providers while patients in higher disparities communities have less average degrees and edges with providers. The centrality and betweeness of different networks also have significant differences. Less disparities community health care system as a network system is more robust and more diversity and more linked with each other which may represent better health care provider cooperation and better patient-provider relationships and lead to better health outcomes. Conclusions: Our data support the conclusion that bette