Ulcerative Colitis – Health Inequities and Barriers to Care

Overview

Henry Ford Innovations (HFI) partnered with Premier Inc. and Lilly to investigate the socioeconomic factors driving health disparities among patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). This collaboration produced a detailed white paper offering critical insights into the barriers encountered by diverse patient groups and highlighting actionable opportunities to enhance care quality.

The research featured in-depth interviews with clinical staff at Henry Ford Health, a site selected for its broad representation of diverse patient populations, to gain deeper understanding of patient journeys, preventive care challenges, and socioeconomic obstacles. The findings are designed to guide expanded stakeholder involvement and the creation of culturally tailored interventions to support minority and marginalized communities.

Project Highlights

Ulcerative colitis affects approximately 600,000 to 900,000 people in the United States, often leading to serious complications. The white paper reveals disparities in disease severity at presentation among racial/ethnic minorities and underscores the impact of social determinants of health on patient outcomes.

Key areas examined include patient population characteristics, the patient journey from diagnosis to management, preventive care challenges, awareness of clinical trials, and definitions of health inequities and disparities.

"...we take fantastic care of people who can physically get to us, and we take fantastic care of patients who can afford the time to come to their doctor’s visits and their colonoscopies and their infusions. But we make it way too hard for people to get to us, and [we’re] making patients drive 2 1/2 hours to come see a doctor for 20 minutes. By making access easier, we [can] take care of a broader, [more] socioeconomically diverse population."

Barriers and Opportunities

The study identified major barriers such as financial issues, health literacy gaps, transportation challenges, and mental health concerns. Current resources at Henry Ford Health, including embedded staff like nurse coordinators and health psychologists, are helping address these, but opportunities for improvement exist.

Impact and Next Steps

The collaboration has provided actionable insights, identifying barriers such as transportation and health literacy that affect UC patients. These findings are intended to inform future strategies to improve access to care and patient education, particularly for underserved communities.

Download the full white paper: "Ulcerative Colitis – Health Inequities And Barriers To Care Across The Patient Journey."