Logo image
Back
Housing Insecurity and Threats of Utility Shut-Offs Among Cancer Survivors in the United States, BRFSS 2022-2023
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Housing Insecurity and Threats of Utility Shut-Offs Among Cancer Survivors in the United States, BRFSS 2022-2023

Tina Duong Nguyen, Jan M Eberth, Elochukwu Ezenwankwo and Gabriel L Schwartz
Cancer medicine (Malden, MA), v 14(23), e71436
Dec 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.71436
PMID: 41342462
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.71436View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Adult Aged Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Cancer Survivors - statistics & numerical data Female Housing - economics Housing - statistics & numerical data Humans Male Middle Aged Neoplasms - economics Neoplasms - epidemiology Neoplasms - therapy United States - epidemiology Young Adult
The financial burden of cancer treatment can increase the risk of housing insecurity for patients undergoing treatment and survivors. To evaluate the burden of housing and utility insecurity among cancer survivors compared to individuals without a cancer history, examine outcome differences by housing tenure (renters vs. homeowners) and treatment status (active vs. posttreatment), and identify predictors of housing insecurity. We analyzed data from 14 states that completed the Social Determinants and Cancer Survivorship modules of the 2022 and 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), yielding 5499 respondents with a previous cancer diagnosis (excluding skin cancers) and 61,883 respondents without a cancer diagnosis. We estimated prevalences and fit logistic regressions. Cancer history was associated with greater odds of housing (AOR 1.43, 95% CI: 1.18-1.74) and utility (AOR 1.36, 95% CI: 1.09-1.69) insecurity, but this varied by treatment timing and housing tenure. Patients currently undergoing treatment were more likely to report housing and utility insecurity (AOR 1.96, 95% CI: 1.28-3.01 and AOR 1.67, 95% CI: 1.06-2.61, respectively) than individuals without a history of cancer. Such insecurity was elevated even after treatment for renters, but not for homeowners. In absolute terms, 34.7% of renters with a cancer history reported housing insecurity, compared to 7.1% of their homeowner counterparts. Cancer diagnosis and treatment can contribute to housing and utility insecurity during and after treatment. Addressing this through targeted interventions within both healthcare systems and social policy may mitigate hardship and improve well-being.

Metrics

16 Record Views

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Web of Science research areas
Oncology
Logo image