Journal article
Rural-urban disparities in time to diagnosis and treatment for colorectal and breast cancer
RJ Bergin, J Emery, RC Bollard, AZ Falborg, H Jensen, D Weller, U Menon, P Vedsted, RJ Thomas, K Whitfield, V White
Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention | AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH | Published : 2018
Abstract
Background: Longer cancer pathways may contribute to rural-urban survival disparities, but research in this area is lacking. We investigated time to diagnosis and treatment for rural and urban patients with colorectal or breast cancer in Victoria, Australia. Methods: Population-based surveys (2013-2014) of patients (aged ≥40, approached within 6 months of diagnosis), primary care physicians (PCPs), and specialists were collected as part of the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership, Module 4. Six intervals were examined: patient (symptom to presentation), primary care (presentation to referral), diagnostic (presentation/screening to diagnosis), treatment (diagnosis to treatment), heal..
View full abstractGrants
Funding Acknowledgements
R.J. Bergin's PhD scholarship was supported by the Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services and Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. PhD host institutions were Cancer Council Victoria and the University of Melbourne. The International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership Module 4 in Victoria was supported by the Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services. J. Emery is supported by an NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship.