Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Treatment Patterns in the United States: A Systematic Review

We performed a systematic review of the literature investigating the demographic and insurance-related factors linked to disparities in multiple myeloma (MM) care patterns in the United States from 2003 to 2021. Forty-six observational studies were included. Disparities in MM care patterns were reported based on patient race in 76% of studies (34 out of 45 that captured race as a study variable), ethnicity in 60% (12 out of 20), insurance in 77% (17 out of 22), and distance from treating facilit y, urbanicit y, or geographic region in 62% (13 out of 21). A smaller proportion of studies identified disparities in MM care patterns based on other socioeconomic characteristics, with 36% (9 out of 25) identi-fying disparities based on income estimate or employment status and 43% (6 out of 14) based on language barrier or education-related factors. Sociodemographic characteristics are frequently associated with disparities in care for individ-uals diagnosed with MM. There is a need for further research regarding modifiable determinants to accessing care such as insurance plan design, patient out-of-pocket costs, preauthor ization cr iter ia, as well as social determinants of health. This information can be used to develop actionable strategies for reducing MM health disparities and enhancing timely and high-quality MM care.