OBJECTIVES: Changes in how skin cancer patients perceive their health status are not uncommon. This can be due to many factors, including the cancer itself and its treatment. Yet, little is known about how various characteristics may be associated with a skin cancer patients’ perceived health status. This study aimed to assess the association of various characteristics with perceived health status among adults with skin cancer in the United States (US).

METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study included individuals who were alive throughout 2020, aged ≥18 years, and reported being diagnosed with skin cancer in the 2020 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Adjusted logistic regression models that were weighted and accounted for the complex MEPS design were used to identify variables that had statistically significant associations with perceived health status (excellent/very good/good versus fair/poor).

RESULTS: The dataset included 27,805 participants, of which 254 were eligible for the study. Of these, 85.9% (95% confidence interval (CI)=80.9%, 91.0%) reported perceiving their health status as excellent/very good/good and 14.1% (95% CI=9.0%, 19.1%) perceived their health status as fair/poor. The adjusted logistic regression showed that individuals were associated with greater odds of reporting excellent/very good/good perceived health status if they reported no limitations in physical functioning (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=4.4, 95% CI=3.7, 5.3), no pain limitations (AOR=3.4, 95% CI=2.8, 4.1), having <2 co-morbidities versus ≥2 (AOR=2.2, 95% CI=1.9, 2.7), aged ≥65 years versus 18-33 years (AOR=1.6, 95% CI=1.2, 2.3), were employed (AOR=1.4, 95% CI=1.2, 1.7), were non-smokers (AOR=1.3, 95% CI=1.1, 1.7), and had private insurance versus public (AOR=1.3, 95% CI=1.1, 1.6).

CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the perceived health status of skin cancer patients in the US was associated with several characteristics, which may be targeted for appropriate interventions to help improve health status among this population. Future research could then evaluate the effect of such interventions.