Table 1.
Characteristics of OPC patients and matched controls
| Characteristic | Cases | Controls | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of patients | 467 | 467 | |
| Age, mean (SD), years | 54.62 (7.38) | 54.26 (7.47) | 0.459 |
| Sex, no. (%) | |||
| Male | 382 (81.80) | 382 (81.80) | Matched |
| Female | 85 (18.20) | 85 (18.20) | |
| Follow-up, mean (SD), years | 1.51 (0.80) | 1.73 (0.91) | <.001 |
| Employee classification, no. (%) | |||
| Salary | 78(16.70) | 125(26.77) | <.001 |
| Hourly | 97(20.77) | 113(24.2) | |
| Other | 29(6.21) | 38(8.14) | |
| Missing/unknown | 263(56.32) | 191(40.9) | |
| Union/Non-union, no. (%) | |||
| Union | 39(8.35) | 52(11.13) | <.001 |
| Non-union | 138(29.55) | 171(36.62) | |
| Other | 27(5.78) | 53(11.35) | |
| Missing/unknown | 263(56.32) | 191(40.9) | |
| Employment status, no. (%) | <.001 | ||
| Active full time | 177 (37.90) | 267 (57.17) | |
| Active part time or seasonal | 3 (0.64) | 5 (1.07) | |
| Retired | 39(8.35) | 42(8.99) | |
| COBRA(continue)/Long-term disability/Surviving spouse/depend | 6(1.28) | 1(0.21) | |
| Other/unknown | 242 (51.82) | 152 (32.55) | |
| Plan type, no. (%) | 0.571 | ||
| Comprehensive | 9 (1.93) | 13 (2.78) | |
| EPO/missing | 22 (4.71) | 15 (3.21) | |
| HMO/POS/POS with capitation | 68 (14.56) | 78 (16.70) | |
| PPO | 338 (72.38) | 329 (70.45) | |
| CDHP/HDHP | 30 (6.42) | 32 (6.85) | |
| Region, no. (%) | 0.481 | ||
| Southeast | 219 (46.90) | 230 (49.25) | |
| Northeast | 201 (43.04) | 200 (42.83) | |
| West | 47 (10.06) | 37 (7.92) | |
| CCI, mean (SD) a | 0.49 (1.00) | 0.45 (0.96) | 0.594 |
| PDGs, mean (SD)a,b | 0.09 (0.30) | 0.07 (0.28) | 0.373 |
| Health care cost for 3 months before OPC diagnosis, mean (SD), USD c | 3,205 (9,748) | 2,220 (10,254) | 0.133 |
Abbreviations: CCI, Charlson comorbidity index; CDHP, consumer-driven health plan; COBRA, Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act; EPO, exclusive provider organization; HDHP, high-deductible health plan; HMO, health maintenance organization; OPC, oropharyngeal cancer; PDGs, psychiatric diagnosis groups; POS, point of service plan; PPO, preferred provider organization; USD, United States dollars.
Measured 6 months before the index date.
The score indicated the average number of mental psychiatric diagnostic disease groupings among our case and control group
The cost incurred during the 3 months immediately prior to the index diagnosis date was excluded to avoid including the cost of treating symptoms of an undiagnosed cancer.