Predictors of health care use in Australian cancer patients.

Rana, RH; Alam, K; Gow, J; Ralph, N

Predictors of health care use in Australian cancer patients.

Rana, RH Alam, K Gow, J Ralph, N

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Publisher:: DOVE MEDICAL PRESS LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Cancer Manag Res, 2019, 11, pp. 6941-6957
Issue Date:: 2019

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Rana, RH
dc.contributor.author	Alam, K
dc.contributor.author	Gow, J
dc.contributor.author	Ralph, N https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7404-9996
dc.date.accessioned	2022-10-10T02:03:42Z
dc.date.available	2019-06-07
dc.date.available	2022-10-10T02:03:42Z
dc.date.issued	2019
dc.identifier.citation	Cancer Manag Res, 2019, 11, pp. 6941-6957
dc.identifier.issn	1179-1322
dc.identifier.issn	1179-1322
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/162417
dc.description.abstract	OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to measure health care utilization in Australian cancer patients based on their demographic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds. METHOD: A total of 13,609 participants (aged 15 and over) from 7,230 households were interviewed as part of Wave 13 of the national Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. Five hundred and seventeen participants indicated a current cancer diagnosis with 90% of those receiving active treatment at the time of interview. Independent sample t-tests, Pearson Chi-sq tests, Kruskal‒Wallis H test, binary logistic regression and a zero-inflated Poisson regression were used to examine inequality in health care use. RESULTS: Demographic and sociocultural factors such as advancing age, gender, low income, low education status, rurality, no private health insurance, increased psychological distress and less access to specialist care are associated with lower health care utilization among cancer patients. However, models of care such as general practitioner-led cancer care is preferable in younger individuals with cancer, while accessing specialist care is associated with lower rates of hospitalization and higher levels of psychological distress increases hospital length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of lower health care utilization by those cancer patients with characteristics of disadvantage have implications for policy development and intervention design. Broadly, policies targeting structural social inequities are likely to increase health care utilization among the most affected/disadvantaged populations. Further investigation is needed to identify potential links between health care utilization and cancer outcomes as a step toward targeted interventions for improving outcomes in the adversely affected groups.
dc.format	Electronic-eCollection
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	DOVE MEDICAL PRESS LTD
dc.relation.ispartof	Cancer Manag Res
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.2147/CMAR.S193615
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	1112 Oncology and Carcinogenesis
dc.title	Predictors of health care use in Australian cancer patients.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	11
utslib.location.activity	New Zealand
utslib.for	1112 Oncology and Carcinogenesis
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-10-10T02:03:33Z
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	11

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to measure health care utilization in Australian cancer patients based on their demographic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds. METHOD: A total of 13,609 participants (aged 15 and over) from 7,230 households were interviewed as part of Wave 13 of the national Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. Five hundred and seventeen participants indicated a current cancer diagnosis with 90% of those receiving active treatment at the time of interview. Independent sample t-tests, Pearson Chi-sq tests, Kruskal‒Wallis H test, binary logistic regression and a zero-inflated Poisson regression were used to examine inequality in health care use. RESULTS: Demographic and sociocultural factors such as advancing age, gender, low income, low education status, rurality, no private health insurance, increased psychological distress and less access to specialist care are associated with lower health care utilization among cancer patients. However, models of care such as general practitioner-led cancer care is preferable in younger individuals with cancer, while accessing specialist care is associated with lower rates of hospitalization and higher levels of psychological distress increases hospital length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of lower health care utilization by those cancer patients with characteristics of disadvantage have implications for policy development and intervention design. Broadly, policies targeting structural social inequities are likely to increase health care utilization among the most affected/disadvantaged populations. Further investigation is needed to identify potential links between health care utilization and cancer outcomes as a step toward targeted interventions for improving outcomes in the adversely affected groups.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/162417