
A new survey conducted by AbbVie examines the emotional toll of a chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) diagnosis. According to the company, this is the only survey to segment results by race and ethnicity, revealing that patients of color often experience more severe mental health impacts and express a preference for alternative forms of support compared to current mechanisms.
The survey included over 230 CLL patients in the U.S., categorized into four racial or ethnic groups: Black, Hispanic, Asian, and White. Emotional responses to the diagnosis were similar across all groups, with 54% of respondents reporting fear upon learning their diagnosis, 27% expressing surprise, 12% feeling sadness, and 7% experiencing anger. Across all groups, there was a common complaint of insufficient psychological support from healthcare providers.
However, significant disparities emerged in the experiences of patients of color compared to white patients. For example, 40% of Hispanic patients and nearly 30% of Black patients reported that doctors primarily directed conversations about their condition to accompanying individuals rather than to them. In comparison, only 14% of Asian patients and 17% of white patients reported similar experiences. Additionally, 28% of Hispanic respondents felt their doctors did not listen when they described their symptoms.
Patients of color also expressed a desire for more culturally tailored educational and emotional support resources. More than a third of Black, Hispanic, and Asian respondents indicated they would feel more comfortable with healthcare providers of the same race or ethnicity.
Among participants in AbbVie’s BoilerMaker program, 46.9% of patients of color reported using online support groups and educational resources related to CLL less frequently. Usage was approximately 26% to 45% lower, on average, across all three racial/ethnic groups compared to overall averages. Unfortunately, the survey did not include comparable data on resource usage among white patients.
This is AbbVie’s second Emotional Impact Report. The first, published in 2022, did not analyze responses by race or ethnicity but included perspectives from patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers.
The psychological stress associated with living with slow-growing cancers like CLL affects patients’ mental health and overall well-being, regardless of their ethnic background.