Geospatial drivers of cancer care gaps and policy effects
Official title: Geospatial drivers of cancer care disparities and their susceptibility to health policy changes
Funded at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic · NIH-11362475 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at Dartmouth-Hitchcock is studying how where people live and their finances affect cancer care and how health policy changes may change access and outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lebanon, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $173,880 |
| NIH project number | 5K08CA263546-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11362475 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with solid organ cancers in rural or socioeconomically vulnerable communities, and those affected by changes in insurance coverage.
✕Less likely to help
Patients in urban, highly insured settings where disparities are less pronounced may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how rural living and community socioeconomic factors, plus insurance changes, shape when patients present with cancer and what treatments they receive. It uses population data and state cancer registries, along with geography-based analyses, to understand disparities in solid organ cancers. The goal is to see if policy shifts, like the Affordable Care Act, changed cancer care delivery for people in rural or economically vulnerable areas.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform policies and programs to improve timely access to cancer care for underserved communities.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked insurance and geography to cancer care gaps; this project builds on existing evidence with new geospatial analyses.
Where this research is happening
-
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic
Lebanon, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Loehrer, Andrew Phillip — Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic
- Study coordinator: Loehrer, Andrew Phillip
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.