Older age and the effects of rurality on the survival of patients with cancer in Australia have been described in the literature.1 Many factors influence a patient’s decision to undergo treatment following a multidisciplinary team’s recommendation.
To examine demographic factors influencing patients’ decisions to receive treatment, or not, in cancer care in regional and rural regions. The impact of age along with factors such as distance from the health service, socioeconomic status, social supports and tumour stage were explored.
Retrospective quantitative analysis of routinely collected data held within the Evaluation of Cancer Outcomes Barwon South West Region Registry
Barwon South Western region, Victoria, Australia.
All patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer from 2009-2017.
From 2009 to 2017, there were 1,095 head and neck cancers in the Barwon South Western Region (Figure 1), 711 (65%) in men and 699 (64%) in patients who lived in the Greater Geelong region. The distribution of tumours included 566 Head and Neck (non-thyroid), 306 Skin (Head and Neck), and 223 Thyroid tumours. The no-treatment group were older (P <0.01), had a higher percentage of residents in the lowest socioeconomic regions (P <0.09), had no partner (<0.01), were either currently smoking or had a history of smoking and had a higher tumour stage.
. This study highlights key healthcare disparities for older head and neck cancer patients in rural and regional Victoria. Awareness of these factors may help guide strategies to mitigate inequities in health care provision.