Understanding Distress and Disparities in Head and Neck Cancer Care (2025-2026)
This project team studied how unmet social needs and psychological distress affect follow-up care for patients with head and neck cancer. Minority populations, in particular, may experience worse outcomes and greater barriers to care. Building on an earlier project that reviewed screening tools for identifying social risks in these patients, the team sought to measure how common these challenges are and determine how they influence patients' ability to complete recommended follow-up care.
Team members reached out to patients receiving treatment for head and neck cancer at Duke University Hospital and collected survey data on social needs, psychological distress and access to care. They also conducted follow-up interviews to better understand patients' experiences navigating treatment and the barriers they faced in completing recommended care. Early findings suggest that unmet social needs, including transportation, financial hardship and limited social support, are common and frequently overlap with psychological distress, creating barriers to continued cancer care.
The project laid the groundwork for a patient-centered approach to identifying and addressing social challenges during cancer treatment. The team plans to expand enrollment and conduct additional patient interviews to better understand how social factors shape healthcare experiences. The project also provides the foundation for a student-led screening and referral program to connect patients with community resources, improve follow-up care and help reduce disparities in head and neck cancer outcomes.
Timing
Summer 2025 – Spring 2026
Team Outputs
Understanding Social Needs and Disparities in Head and Neck Cancer Care (Poster presentation at the Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase, April 15, 2026)
Tools for Identifying Social Determinants of Health in Head and Neck Cancer: A Scoping Review (JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Volume 152, Number 6, April 30, 2026)
Closing the Gap: Social Needs and Distress in Head and Neck Cancer Care (Team profile)
See related teams, Understanding Disparities to Follow-Up Care in Head and Neck Cancer (2024-2025) and Improving Survivorship Care for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (2026-2027).