Health inequities and research gaps for bladder cancer in the United States: A scoping review

Introduction/Objectives: Bladder cancer is a significant health issue in the United States, with over 83,000 new cases and nearly 17,000 deaths annually. The survival rate varies widely, with a 5-year relative survival rate of 78%, dependent on factors like disease stage at diagnosis. Despite established risk factors, health inequities persist, disproportionately affecting marginalized populations. Although health inequities research has grown, healthcare access remains inequitable, with race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status serving as key determinants of health outcomes. This scoping review seeks to examine gaps in health inequity research for bladder cancer.

Methods: Following the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR protocols, a scoping review of PubMed and Embase was conducted to identify gaps and trends in health inequities research for bladder cancer in the United States. Articles from 2016-2024 were included based on the NIH distinction of inequities which were race and ethnicity, sex or gender, LGBTQIA+ identity, underserved rural populations, education level, income, and occupation status. Screening and data abstraction were performed in a masked, double-blind fashion. Frequencies and historical trends of inequities examined were reported.

Results: Our final sample included 90 articles. Overall, the number of articles studying health inequities increased each year. Race and ethnicity were the most commonly studied inequity (n=83; 92.2%), followed by sex and gender (n=74; 82.2%). The least commonly studied inequity was LGBTQIA+ identity, with zero.

Conclusion: Health inequities for bladder due to race or ethnicity and sex or gender are well-studied within bladder cancer, while LGBTQIA+ status has yet to be examined. Further work is needed to promote research to fill this gap.