诊断为头颈癌的患者中，社会经济差异对生存率有着显著影响，而诊断时的疾病分期被认为是这种关联的主要驱动因素。本全国范围的基于人群的研究调查了社会经济差异在患者诊断前间隔和疾病分期上的影响。关于患者报告的症状和疾病特异因素的信息来自于丹麦头颈癌组织（DAHANCA）数据库，这是一个全国人群基础的数据库，收录了2008年至2019年间在丹麦被诊断为头颈鳞状细胞癌的患者资料。社会经济地位（SEP）通过个体的受教育程度、收入和共同居住状况等因素来衡量，这些数据来源于行政登记。我们使用普通线性模型和95%置信区间（CI）研究了社会经济差异在症状出现至诊断间隔上的影响，同时考察了总体和亚位点以及症状和合并症评分的情况。我们采用了变点检测的方法来研究诊断前就诊的模式。我们使用Logistic回归模型来估计与晚期疾病的关联性。低、中、高社会经济地位的患者在自述症状出现到诊断的时间上相似，都为10周。尽管这段时间根据主要症状和解剖亚位点而有所差异，在这些亚组内观察不到明显的社会经济差异。与患者报告的症状出现相吻合，低社会经济地位患者就诊率在9周（95% CI [7.3; 10.7]）处略有增加，而高社会经济地位患者则在7周（95% CI [4.8; 9.2]）处增加，两者的置信区间有交叠。相比高社会经济地位的患者，低社会经济地位的患者患喉和口腔鳞状细胞癌的晚期风险更高。对于其他亚位点，关联性根据SEP指标和TNM版本而有所变化。症状出现到诊断的间隔和就诊模式在不同的社会经济地位群体中相似。然而，在某些亚位点上观察到了社会经济差异对于诊断时的疾病分期的影响，但并非所有亚位点都如此。

The socioeconomic differences in survival are pronounced for patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer; disease stage at diagnosis is suggested to be a main driver of this association. This nationwide, population-based study investigates socioeconomic differences in the pre-diagnostic interval and disease stage at diagnosis.Information on patient-reported symptoms, symptom onset and disease-specific factors was obtained from the nationwide population-based Danish Head and Neck Cancer Group (DAHANCA) database for patients diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma between 2008 and 2019 in Denmark. Socioeconomic position (SEP) was measured by individual-level education, income and cohabitation status obtained from administrative registers. Socioeconomic differences in the interval from symptom onset to diagnosis were investigated in general linear models with 95% confidence intervals (CIs); overall and by subsite, symptom and comorbidity score. Consultation patterns prior to diagnosis were examined using methods for change-point detection. Associations with advanced-stage disease were estimated in logistic regression models.Patients with low, medium and high SEP had a similar interval from patient-reported symptom onset to diagnosis of 10 weeks. Although this interval varied according to primary symptom and anatomical subsite, no apparent socioeconomic differences were observed within these subgroups. Aligned with the patient-reported symptom onset, a distinct increase in consultation rates was observed at 9 weeks (95% CI [7.3; 10.7]) for patients with low SEP and 7 weeks (95% CI [4.8; 9.2]) for patients with high SEP, with overlapping CIs. Patients with low compared to high SEP had increased odds for advanced-stage glottic and oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. For the remaining subsites the association varied according to SEP-indicator and TNM-edition.The interval from symptom onset to diagnosis and consultation patterns were similar across SEP groups. Still, socioeconomic differences in stage at diagnosis were observed for some - but not all - subsites.