Variation in Delivery of Palliative Radiotherapy to Persons Dying of Cancer in Nova Scotia, 1994 to 1998

2001 ◽  
Vol 19 (14) ◽  
pp. 3323-3332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace M. Johnston ◽  
Christopher J. Boyd ◽  
Paul Joseph ◽  
Maureen MacIntyre
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Palliative Radiotherapy ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Median Household Income ◽  
Sequential Decisions ◽  
Canadian Province ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Lower Likelihood ◽  
Equity Of Access

PURPOSE: To examine sociodemographic and clinical variables associated with provision of palliative radiotherapy (RT) to persons dying of cancer. METHODS: The Nova Scotia Cancer Registry was used to identify 9,978 adults who were dying of cancer between 1994 and 1998 in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. RT records from between April 1992 and December 1998 were obtained from the provincial treatment database. Multivariate analysis identified factors associated with two sequential decisions determining provision of palliative RT in the last 9 months of life: likelihood of receiving an RT consultation with a radiation oncologist and, given a consultation, likelihood of being treated with palliative RT. RESULTS: The likelihood of having a consultation decreased with age (20 to 59 years v 80+ years: odds ratio [OR], 4.43 [95% confidence interval, 3.80 to 5.15]), increased with community median household income (> $50,000 v < $20,000: OR, 1.31 [1.02 to 1.70]), was higher for residents closer to the cancer center (< 25 km v 200+ km: OR, 2.47 [2.16 to 2.83]), increased between 1994 and 1998 (OR, 1.34 [1.16 to 1.56]), varied by cause of death (relative to thoracic cancers, head and neck: OR, 1.75 [1.31 to 2.33]; gynecologic: OR, 0.35 [0.27 to 0.44]), and was greater for those who had prior RT (OR, 2.20 [1.89 to 2.56]). Similar associations were observed when outcome was the provision of palliative RT given a consult, with one notable exception: prior RT was associated with a lower likelihood of receiving palliative RT (OR, 0.48 [0.40 to 0.58]). CONCLUSION: Variations observed in delivery of palliative RT should prompt further investigation into equity of access to clinically appropriate, palliative radiation consultation and treatment.

Factors associated with time to palliative radiotherapy in an academic radiation oncology clinic.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (31_suppl) ◽  
pp. 56-56
Author(s):  
Ryan T. Hughes ◽  
Moeko Nagatsuka ◽  
Chase Glenn ◽  
Adam G. Johnson ◽  
Doris R. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Oncology ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Respiratory Symptoms ◽  
Palliative Radiotherapy ◽  
Patient Treatment ◽  
Remaining Life ◽  
Median Household Income ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Income Insurance ◽  
Time Burden

56 Background: Palliative radiotherapy (PRT) is a common and effective modality for the relief of symptoms due to malignancy. Members of the supportive care team may be hesitant to refer for PRT due to concerns regarding timeliness of treatment and patient/caregiver time burden. The current structure of most radiation oncology clinics is not conducive to the delivery of timely PRT and few metrics aimed at quality improvement have been reported. Methods: We reviewed all courses of PRT delivered at our institution between January 2017 and December 2018. Hematologic/myeloma primary and postoperative cases were excluded. The dates of referral, consultation, PRT planning simulation, PRT start and end were recorded. An inherent delay was noted if PRT was purposefully delayed (workup, imaging). Time to PRT (TTPRT) was defined as the number of days between referral and start of PRT. A remaining life ratio (RLR) representing TTPRT as a proportion of survival from the time of referral, was developed as a practical metric to represent timeliness of PRT with respect to prognosis. Results: 338 courses of PRT were included from 67% outpatient and 33% inpatient referrals. Indications included pain (55%), neurologic deficits/brain metastases (23%), respiratory symptoms (10%), bleeding (6%) and other (7%). Median TTPRT was 13 d (IQR 4-19), comprised of: referral to consult (3 d), consult to simulation (4 d), and simulation to PRT (6 d). Factors associated with TTPRT included ECOG, PRT indication, site (non-spine bone, chest, or brain), outpatient referral and delay. TTPRT was not associated with age, gender, rural residence, distance to hospital, race, median household income, insurance or marital status. Of 229 patients who died, factors associated with increased RLR were outpatient referral (13% v. 5%), abdomen/pelvis treatment site (16% v. 9%) and delay (17% v. 8%). Conclusions: TTPRT is associated with patient, treatment, and systematic factors, some of which are associated with increased RLR, elucidating several opportunities for improvement. Based on these results, our group has established a dedicated Palliative Radiation Oncology Clinic focused on timely, quality PRT, the outcomes of which will be assessed prospectively.

Factors Affecting the Use of Palliative Radiotherapy in Ontario

2001 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Huang ◽  
S. Zhou ◽  
P. Groome ◽  
S. Tyldesley ◽  
J. Zhang-Solomans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Registry ◽  
Palliative Radiotherapy ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Cancer Centers ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Cancer Registry Data ◽  
Barriers To Access ◽  
Ontario Cancer Registry ◽  
Primary Measure

PURPOSE: To describe the use of palliative radiotherapy (PRT) and to identify factors associated with the use of PRT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Ontario Cancer Registry was used to identify 193,253 adult patients who died of cancer between 1986 and 1995. Radiotherapy records from all Ontario cancer centers and the data on socioeconomic status (SES) from the Canadian Census were linked to the Ontario Cancer Registry data. The proportion of cases who received at least one course of PRT at any time within 2 years of death (PRT2Y) was used as a primary measure of the use rate of PRT. RESULTS: Overall, 26.4% of cases underwent at least one course of PRT. PRT2Y remained relatively constant over the study period. PRT2Y was disease-specific and ranged from 4% for pancreatic cancer to 41% for prostate cancer. Age was negatively associated with PRT2Y (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 4.5 for the youngest group), and SES was positively associated with PRT2Y (adjusted OR, 1.2 for patients from wealthy communities). Patients who were initially diagnosed in a hospital affiliated with a cancer center (adjusted OR, 1.4) or who lived in a county in which a cancer center is located (adjusted OR, 1.2), or who resided in certain regions (adjusted OR, 1.20 for Hamilton and 1.17 for Kingston), were more likely to be treated with PRT. CONCLUSION: The use of PRT varied across the dispersed population in Ontario and was influenced by factors unrelated to the patient’s needs. An effort should be made to reduce barriers to access for disadvantaged groups.

scholarly journals Conventional Ankle Sprain Treatment is Associated with Alarmingly High Rates of Persistent Opioid Use

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 2473011419S0000
Author(s):  
Fred T. Finney ◽  
Timothy D. Gossett ◽  
Hsou Mei Hu ◽  
Jennifer Waljee ◽  
Chad Brummett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ankle Sprain ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Nonoperative Treatment ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Ankle Sprains ◽  
Median Household Income ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Patient Factors ◽  
Opioid Prescription ◽  
Factors Associated

Category: Ankle Introduction/Purpose: The opioid epidemic has been defined by over-prescribing by practitioners and increasing misuse, abuse, and diversion of opioids by patients. Orthopedic surgeons are the fourth largest prescriber of opioid medications and have a unique opportunity to play a prominent role in the solution. Many perceived barriers to such a solution have now been eliminated. For example, it has been demonstrated that neither the amount nor duration of opioid prescription correlates with patient satisfaction. To address this epidemic, it is important to first understand rates of new persistent opioid use following specific injuries and to identify patient-specific risk factors. In this study, we evaluated new persistent opioid use following nonoperatively treated ankle sprains, one of the most common orthopaedic injuries seen in any healthcare system. Methods: A widely accepted insurance claims database was used to identify patients who underwent nonoperative treatment of an ankle sprain between January 2008 and December 2016. None had an opioid prescription filled in the period of 12 months to 7 days prior to treatment (defined as “opioid naïve”). We evaluated peri-treatment and post-treatment opioid prescription fulfillment to analyze prescribing patterns and continuation of opioid use. The primary outcome, new persistent opioid use, was defined as opioid prescription fulfillment between 91 and 180 days after treatment. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of patient factors, including age, gender, median household income, tobacco use, mental health and pain disorders, and medical comorbidities on the likelihood of new persistent use. Results: 42,445 patients were identified who underwent nonoperative treatment of an ankle sprain and received an opioid prescription. The overall rate of new persistent opioid used following nonoperative treatment of ankle sprains was 9.3%. Rates of continued opioid use were significantly increased among patients who received an opioid dose prescribed in the peri-treatment period that was in the top 25th percentile of total oral morphine equivalents. In addition, patient-specific factors which were associated with new persistent opioid use included female gender, tobacco use, certain mental health disorders, comorbid conditions, and pre-existing arthritis. Patient factors associated with lower rates of new persistent opioid use included higher level education and median household income of $100,000 or more. Conclusion: Chronic opioid use is a major problem, even in the setting of relatively minor musculoskeletal injuries. Defining the problem and understanding contributing factors to this epidemic are paramount to developing a solution. Ankle sprains represent an orthopaedic injury which does not warrant opioid use for pain control. In this series, an alarming number of patients who sustained an ankle sprain were treated with an opioid medication, and 9.3% of these patients continued opioid use after three months. Understanding the risk factors associated with this problem provides a foundation upon which to address this sometimes lethal, public health problem.

scholarly journals Factors Associated with Meeting the Psychosocial Needs of Cancer Survivors in Nova Scotia, Canada

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-25
Author(s):  
Soleil Chahine ◽  
Gordon Walsh ◽  
Robin Urquhart
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Patient Navigator ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Psychosocial Needs ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Follow Up Care

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the psychosocial needs of cancer survivors and examine whether sociodemographic factors and health care providers accessed are associated with needs being met. Methods: All Nova Scotia survivors meeting specific inclusion and exclusion criteria are identified from the Nova Scotia Cancer Registry and sent an 83-item survey to assess psychosocial concerns and whether and how their needs were met. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages) and Chi-square analyses are used to examine associations between sociodemographic and provider factors and outcomes. Results: Anxiety and fear of recurrence, depression, and changes in sexual intimacy are major areas of concern for survivors. Various sociodemographic factors, such as immigration status, education, employment, and internet use, are associated with reported psychosocial health and having one’s needs met. Having both a specialist and primary care provider in charge of follow-up care is associated with a significantly (p < 0.05) higher degree of psychosocial and informational needs met compared to only one physician or no follow-up physician in charge. Accessing a patient navigator also is significantly associated with a higher degree of needs met. Conclusions: Our study identifies the most prevalent psychosocial needs of cancer survivors and the factors associated with having a higher degree of needs met, including certain sociodemographic factors, follow-up care by both a primary care practitioner and specialist, and accessing a patient navigator.

scholarly journals Outcomes of Peer Review for Radiotherapy Treatment Plans With Palliative Intent

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. e794-e800
Author(s):  
Dina Thompson ◽  
Kimberly Cox ◽  
James Loudon ◽  
Ivan Yeung ◽  
Woodrow Wells
Keyword(s):  
Peer Review ◽  
Treatment Plan ◽  
Palliative Radiotherapy ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Palliative Intent ◽  
Treatment Plans ◽  
Important Quality ◽  
Radiation Medicine ◽  
Radiotherapy Treatment

Purpose: Peer review of a proposed treatment plan is increasingly recognized as an important quality activity in radiation medicine. Although peer review has been emphasized in the curative setting, applying peer review for treatment plans that have palliative intent is receiving increased attention. This study reports peer review outcomes for a regional cancer center that applied routine interprofessional peer review as a standard practice for palliative radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Peer review outcomes for palliative radiotherapy plans were recorded prospectively for patients who began radiotherapy between October 1, 2015, and September 30, 2017. Recommended and implemented changes were recorded. The content of detailed discussions was recorded to gain insight into the complexities of palliative treatment plans considered during peer review. Results: Peer review outcomes were reviewed for 1,413 treatment plans with palliative intent. The proportions of detailed discussions and changes recommended were found to be 139 (9.8%) and 29 (2.1%), respectively. The content of detailed discussions and changes recommended was categorized. Major changes represented 75.9% of recommended changes, of which 84.2% were implemented clinically. Conclusion: Many complexities exist that are specific to palliative radiotherapy. Interprofessional peer review provides a forum for these complexities to be openly discussed and is an important activity to optimize the quality of care for patients with treatment plans that have palliative intent.

scholarly journals Contemporary fatherhood: Social, demographic and attitudinal factors associated with involved fathering and long work hours

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 591-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laetitia Coles ◽  
Belinda Hewitt ◽  
Bill Martin
Keyword(s):  
Household Income ◽  
Work Hours ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Attitudinal Factors ◽  
Male Breadwinner ◽  
Long Work Hours ◽  
Social Demographic

Time pressures around work and care within families have increased over recent decades, exacerbated by an enduring male breadwinner culture in Australia and manifested in increasingly long work hours for fathers. We identified fathers who spent relatively long hours actively caring for children despite long work hours and we compared them with other fathers who did less work, less childcare, or less of both. Using 13 waves of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, we explored characteristics associated with the time fathers spent in work and care. The age and ethnicity of fathers differentiated those who spent long hours in both work and childcare from all other groups of fathers, yet other factors were also important for the time fathers spent at work or with children. By examining fathers at the margins of the distributions of work and childcare hours, we add valuable insights into associations between work and care for families.

Abstract 20: Patterns of Stroke Center Certification and the Impact on Stroke Mortality in Counties of New York State

Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Chapman ◽  
Kurt A Yaeger ◽  
J D Mocco
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Household Income ◽  
New York State ◽  
Stroke Care ◽  
Stroke Mortality ◽  
Median Household Income ◽  
Stroke Incidence ◽  
York State ◽  
The Relationship

Introduction: To establish a statewide stroke system in March 2019, New York State (NYS) created the Stroke Designation Program. Stroke centers (SCs) must be certified by a state-approved certifying organization (CO), which is tasked with initial designation and ongoing re-certification. Previous research has found an association at the national level between socioeconomic status and access to higher levels of acute stroke care. Objective: This study characterizes the relationship between socioeconomic status of NYS populations and stroke care level access by comparing median household income and wealth in counties with and without certified SCs. Methods: Population and median household income from the U.S. Census (2010), stroke epidemiological data from the Center for Disease Control, and Area Deprivation Index (ADI) data (ranked within NYS) from the Neighborhood Atlas, a project that quantifies disadvantage by census tract, were collected and averaged for each county. Income has been used to assess local wealth and ADI to analyze community health risks. Certification data were mined from quality check databases for The Joint Commission and Det Norske Veritas, the most commonly used COs. Student’s t-tests compared income and ADI in counties with at least one certified SC to those without. Linear regression characterized the relationship between income and ADI with number of certified SCs, stroke incidence and stroke mortality. Results: All 62 counties in NYS were investigated to yield 40 certified SCs. Counties with at least one certified SC had a significantly higher income ($68,183.63 vs. $57,155.12; p=0.03) and lower ADI (5.90 vs. 7.37; p=0.004) compared to counties with no certified SC. Higher income (p<0.001) and lower ADI (p<0.001) were also associated with more certified SCs. Counties with fewer certified SCs had significantly higher stroke mortality (p<0.001) despite having similar stroke incidence. Conclusion: Socioeconomic heterogeneity in NYS counties is correlated to differential access to certified SCs and quality stroke care, as fewer centers are found in lower-income and disadvantaged communities. Although populations with less access experience stroke at similar rates, this study finds higher death rates in these counties.

Factors Associated with Intermittent, Constant, and Mixed Pain in People with Knee Osteoarthritis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatme Hoteit ◽  
Debbie Erhmann Feldman ◽  
Lisa C. Carlesso
Keyword(s):  
Knee Osteoarthritis ◽  
Physical Function ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
System Sensitivity ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Lower Likelihood ◽  
Paindetect Questionnaire ◽  
Mixed Pain

Purpose: To explore factors associated with intermittent, constant, and mixed pain in people with knee osteoarthritis. Method: We conducted a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional multicenter study with adults ≥ 40 years with knee osteoarthritis. Participants completed questionnaires on personal (e.g., demographics, comorbidities), physical (e.g., physical function), psychological (e.g., depressive symptoms), pain (e.g., qualities), and tests for physical performance and nervous system sensitivity. We qualified patients’ pain as intermittent, constant, or mixed using the Modified painDETECT Questionnaire and assessed associations with the variables using multinomial logistic regression. Results: The 279 participants had an average age of 63.8 years (SD = 9.6), BMI of 31.5 kg/m2 (SD = 8.7), and 58.6% were female. Older age (odds ratio [OR] 0.95; 95% CI: 0.90, 1.00) and higher self-reported physical function ([OR] 0.94; 95% CI: 0.91, 0.98) were associated with a lower likelihood of mixed pain compared with intermittent pain. Higher pain intensity ([OR] 1.25; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.47) was related to a 25% higher likelihood of mixed pain compared with intermittent pain. Conclusions: This study provides initial data for associations of personal, pain, and physical function factors with different pain patterns. Awareness of these factors can help clinicians develop targeted strategies for managing patients’ pain.

scholarly journals Insights from the evaluation of a provincial healthy eating strategy in Nova Scotia, Canada

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 1870-1878
Author(s):  
S Meaghan Sim ◽  
Sara FL Kirk
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Strategy Implementation ◽  
Canadian Province ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Health Model ◽  
Document Review ◽  
Depth Interviews

AbstractObjectiveHealthy Eating Nova Scotia represents the first provincial comprehensive healthy eating strategy in Canada and a strategy that is framed within a population-health model. Five years after strategy launch, our objective was to evaluate Healthy Eating Nova Scotia to determine perceptions of strategy implementation and strategy outputs. The focus of the current paper is on the findings of this evaluation.DesignWe conducted an evaluation of the strategy through three activities that included a document review, survey of key stakeholders and in-depth interviews with key strategy informants. The findings from each of the activities were integrated to determine what has worked well with strategy implementation, what could be improved and what outputs have resulted.SettingThe evaluation was conducted in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.ParticipantsParticipants for this evaluation included survey respondents (n 120) and key informants (n 16). A total of 156 documents were also reviewed.ResultsSignificant investments have been made towards inter-sectoral partnerships and resourcing that has provided the necessary leadership and momentum for the strategy. Policy development has been leveraged through the strategy primarily in the health and education sectors and is perceived as a visible success. Clarity of human resource roles and funding within the context of a provincial strategy may be beneficial for continued strategy implementation, as is expansion of policy development.ConclusionsKnown to be the first evaluation of its kind, these findings and related considerations will be of interest to policy makers developing and implementing similar strategies in their own jurisdictions.

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