Subgroup variations in benefit from telehealth palliative care for advanced lung cancer
Kathryn E Post, Chardria S Trotter, Amy M Munankarmi, Phalaen Chang, Toby C Campbell, Michael W Rabow, Laura C Hanson, Lori Spoozak, Carl Grey, Leslie Blackhall, Elaine Chen, Ramona Rhodes, Amelia Cullinan, Nora K Horick, Dustin J Rabideau, Areej El-Jawahri, Jennifer S Temel, Joseph A GreerAbstract
We examined whether the impact on quality of life (QOL) of early palliative care delivered via video versus in-person visits varied across patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Between 6/2018 and 5/2023, 1250 patients with advanced NSCLC enrolled in a randomized trial comparing early palliative care delivered via video or in-person visits at 22 cancer centers.
Using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung scale, we examined whether the effect of palliative care delivery modality on patient-reported QOL at 24 weeks post-enrollment varied by baseline sociodemographic and other factors.
Black patients, Hispanic/Latino patients, and those with incomes <$50,000 reported better QOL in the video visit group versus the in-person group. However, Asian patients in the video visit group reported worse QOL than the in-person group.
Early palliative care delivered via video may provide greater QOL benefits for Black and Hispanic/Latino patients with advanced NSCLC and those with lower incomes.
Trial Registration: NCT03375489