Disparities in the Place of Death for Patients With Malignant Neoplasms of the Thyroid Gland

Sep 22, 2026

Study examines disparities in the place of death for patients with thyroid neoplasms and characterizes mortality trends over time. Analysis covers thyroid cancer mortality from 1999–2020 using the CDC WONDER database, incorporating death location, care settings (medical facilities, home, hospice), and sociodemographic variables including age, gender, geography, and race. Findings report about half of patients dying at home or in hospice, with older age groups, males, the South and West regions, and lower likelihood for Black/African Americans versus Whites.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Methodology

Results

Conclusions

Open Access Original Article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.55506 Review began 02/01/2024 Review ended 02/24/2024 Published 03/04/2024 © Copyright 2024 Anupiya et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC-BY 4.0. , which permits unrestricted use , distribution , and reproduction in any medium , provided the original author and source are credited. Disparities in the Place of Death for Patients With Malignant Neoplasms of the Thyroid Gland Fnu Anupiya 1 , Preyansh K. Doshi 2, Neera Vora Alousious Kasagga 5 , Fnu Iffath Muneer Ahmed 2, Bhavya Parekh 3, Suppraja Soundarrajan 4, 6 1. Internal Medicine, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, IND 2. Internal Medicine, Gujarat Cancer Society Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre, Ahmedabad, IND 3. Internal Medicine, Government Medical College Bhavnagar, Bhavnagar, IND 4. Internal Medicine, Government Medical College, Omandurar Government Estate, Chennai, IND 5. Pathology, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA 6. Internal Medicine, Shadan Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, IND Corresponding author: Suppraja Soundarrajan , [suppraja_06@yahoo.com](suppraja_06@yahoo.com) Abstract Introduction This study aims to examine the disparities in the place of death for patients due to thyroid neoplasms and understand the mortality trends. The study also aims to assess the influence of factors like age, gender, geography, and race, thus allowing for the assessment and improvement of end-of-life and palliative care. Methodology The study analyzes thyroid cancer mortality trends from 1999 to 2020 using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database, taking into consideration locations of death, medical facilities, home and hospice care, and others. Additional categories such as race, gender, and U.S. census regions were variables chosen to segregate the deaths. Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, United States) and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modeling were used for data analysis. Results The study revealed that around 50% of thyroid cancer patients in the United States passed away at home orin hospice settings, while the other 50% died in medical facilities or nursing homes. Patients aged 65-74 and 75-84 were more likely to die at home or in hospice, and males had a higher likelihood of dying in these settings compared to females. Geographically, individuals in the South and West regions were more inclined to die at home or in hospice. Additionally, racial disparities were observed, with Black or African Americans being less likely than Whites to die in home or hospice settings. Conclusions Socio-demographic factors play a major role in shaping end-of-life care, underscoring the need for tailored interventions. There is also a need for more refined early diagnostic techniques for smaller, localized tumors. Future studies should investigate the relationship between profession and income and the incidence and mortality of thyroid cancer. Categories: Internal Medicine, Medical Education, Oncology Keywords: palliative care, end of life care, hospice care, home care, cbc wonder database, mortality trends Introduction A death where the patient passes away in their preferred setting, with the least amount of pain possible, and with their wishes honored, would be the most appropriate kind. Maximizing patients ' quality of life, reducing their suffering, and assisting them in making decisions in line with their values and preferences, such as life extension, quality of life, place of care, and place of death, are the main goals of patient centered end-of-life care [1] . Palliative care is defined as the treatment of symptoms and pain for incurable illnesses; as such, it can be given to individuals with any type of illn

FAQs

What is the study’s main objective regarding thyroid cancer patients?

To examine disparities in the place of death for patients with thyroid neoplasms and understand mortality trends over time.

How were mortality trends analyzed in this research?

Mortality trends from 1999 to 2020 were analyzed using the CDC WONDER database, considering death locations and care settings, along with variables such as race, gender, and U.S. census regions.

Which groups were more likely to die at home or in hospice?

Patients aged 65–74 and 75–84, males, and individuals living in the South and West regions were more likely to die at home or in hospice.

Sep 22, 2026

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