Health services accessibility Archives - Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2018;40(3):127-136
To analyze the time trend and the factors regarding the diagnosis of latestage breast cancer in Brazil from 2000 to 2012.
We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from hospital-based cancer registries. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze the time trends of stage at diagnosis. The risk of late-stage presentation was estimated using multinomial logistic regression.
A total of 170,757 cases were analyzed. The median time from diagnosis to treatment was of 43 days (range: 0-182 days). The percentage of cases with late-stage diagnosis decreased from2000 to 2002, with an annual percent change (APC) of -6.6%(95%confidence interval [95%CI]: -7.6--5.5%); it increased from 2002 until 2009, with an APC of 1.1% (95% CI: 0.9-1.3%), and remained stable up to 2012.Women with college education (compared with illiterate women) had less chance of having a late-stage diagnosis (odds ratio [OR]: 0.32; 95%CI: 0.29-0.35). The odds were greater among brown women (OR: 1.30; 95%CI: 1.21-1.41) and black women (OR: 1.63; 95%CI: 1.47-1.82), compared with white women. The odds were also higher for women treated in facilities located and in the Northern region of Brazil (OR: 1.23; 95%CI: 1.04-1.45) and in the Midwest (OR: 1.61;95%CI: 1.34-1.94), compared with those treated in the southern region of the country. Age, histological type, and marital status were some of the other factors that were positively related to staging at the diagnosis.
Access to diagnosis of breast cancer is uneven in Brazil, and women with lower socioeconomic status present a greater probability of having an advanced stage at diagnosis.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2018;40(3):127-136
To analyze the time trend and the factors regarding the diagnosis of latestage breast cancer in Brazil from 2000 to 2012.
We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from hospital-based cancer registries. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze the time trends of stage at diagnosis. The risk of late-stage presentation was estimated using multinomial logistic regression.
A total of 170,757 cases were analyzed. The median time from diagnosis to treatment was of 43 days (range: 0-182 days). The percentage of cases with late-stage diagnosis decreased from2000 to 2002, with an annual percent change (APC) of -6.6%(95%confidence interval [95%CI]: -7.6--5.5%); it increased from 2002 until 2009, with an APC of 1.1% (95% CI: 0.9-1.3%), and remained stable up to 2012.Women with college education (compared with illiterate women) had less chance of having a late-stage diagnosis (odds ratio [OR]: 0.32; 95%CI: 0.29-0.35). The odds were greater among brown women (OR: 1.30; 95%CI: 1.21-1.41) and black women (OR: 1.63; 95%CI: 1.47-1.82), compared with white women. The odds were also higher for women treated in facilities located and in the Northern region of Brazil (OR: 1.23; 95%CI: 1.04-1.45) and in the Midwest (OR: 1.61;95%CI: 1.34-1.94), compared with those treated in the southern region of the country. Age, histological type, and marital status were some of the other factors that were positively related to staging at the diagnosis.
Access to diagnosis of breast cancer is uneven in Brazil, and women with lower socioeconomic status present a greater probability of having an advanced stage at diagnosis.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2013;35(10):458-463
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032013001000006
PURPOSE: To analyze the time between the first symptom and treatment in patients treated for breast cancer in public hospitals in the Federal District. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analysis. We interviewed 250 women diagnosed with breast cancer treated in six hospitals of the State Department of Health of the Federal District from November 2009 to January 2011. The time intervals studied were the time between the detection of the symptoms and treatment subdivided into intervals until and after the first medical appointment. The variables were: age, menopausal status, color, educational level, average monthly household income, origin, reason for the initial consultation, staging, tumor size, laterality, metastasis to axillary lymph nodes, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and type of surgery. The Mann-Whtney test was used to assess the association of these variables with the time intervals until treatment. RESULTS: The mean age was 52 years, with a predominance of white women (57.6%), from the Federal District (62.4%), with a family income of up to 2 minimum wages (78%), and up to four years of schooling (52.4%). The staging of the disease ranged from II to IV in 78.8% of the women. The time between the first symptom and treatment was 229 days (median). After detection of the first symptom, 52.9% of the women attended a consultation within 30 days and 88.8% took more than 90 days to start treatment. Women with elementary school education had a greater delay to the start of treatment (p=0.049). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant delay to start treatment of women with breast cancer in public hospitals of the Federal District, suggesting that efforts should be made to reduce the time needed to schedule medical appointments and to diagnose and treat these patients.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2013;35(10):458-463
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032013001000006
PURPOSE: To analyze the time between the first symptom and treatment in patients treated for breast cancer in public hospitals in the Federal District. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analysis. We interviewed 250 women diagnosed with breast cancer treated in six hospitals of the State Department of Health of the Federal District from November 2009 to January 2011. The time intervals studied were the time between the detection of the symptoms and treatment subdivided into intervals until and after the first medical appointment. The variables were: age, menopausal status, color, educational level, average monthly household income, origin, reason for the initial consultation, staging, tumor size, laterality, metastasis to axillary lymph nodes, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and type of surgery. The Mann-Whtney test was used to assess the association of these variables with the time intervals until treatment. RESULTS: The mean age was 52 years, with a predominance of white women (57.6%), from the Federal District (62.4%), with a family income of up to 2 minimum wages (78%), and up to four years of schooling (52.4%). The staging of the disease ranged from II to IV in 78.8% of the women. The time between the first symptom and treatment was 229 days (median). After detection of the first symptom, 52.9% of the women attended a consultation within 30 days and 88.8% took more than 90 days to start treatment. Women with elementary school education had a greater delay to the start of treatment (p=0.049). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant delay to start treatment of women with breast cancer in public hospitals of the Federal District, suggesting that efforts should be made to reduce the time needed to schedule medical appointments and to diagnose and treat these patients.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2012;34(9):432-437
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032012000900008
PURPOSE: To verify the coverage, by Pap testing, of older women and the associated factors. METHODS: A population-based study was conducted by home interviews. The inclusion criteria were women aged 60 and over, living on the north side of the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, self-sufficient to answer the questionnaire or having someone to answer on their behalf. The interview consisted of sociodemographic questions, regarding the general health of the older women, and preventive practices in women's health. The selection was made by random sampling, stratified and clustered in multiple stages. To analyze associated factors, a theoretical model was formulated with three hierarchical blocks of variables, adjusted to each other in each block. The variables that had a level of significance of 0.2 or less were included in the Poisson regression model and adjusted to their next highest level (p<0.1). RESULTS: Pap testing occurred in 84.1% of cases (95%CI 79.0-88.4). Based on multivariate regression analysis, three variables remained significantly associated with access to Pap testing: the marital status "without partner" (older women who were single, widowed, separated or divorced), self-sufficiency to perform Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) and adherence to mammography. In the interblock analysis these variables remained significantly associated with the outcome variable, and self-sufficiency for IADLs had the highest association. CONCLUSIONS: Among the older women comprising the study sample, was observed variation in the use of Pap testing. An adjustment of public health policies towards the formulation of policies giving priority to universal preventive care may be an alternative to solve the disparities observed.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2012;34(9):432-437
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032012000900008
PURPOSE: To verify the coverage, by Pap testing, of older women and the associated factors. METHODS: A population-based study was conducted by home interviews. The inclusion criteria were women aged 60 and over, living on the north side of the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, self-sufficient to answer the questionnaire or having someone to answer on their behalf. The interview consisted of sociodemographic questions, regarding the general health of the older women, and preventive practices in women's health. The selection was made by random sampling, stratified and clustered in multiple stages. To analyze associated factors, a theoretical model was formulated with three hierarchical blocks of variables, adjusted to each other in each block. The variables that had a level of significance of 0.2 or less were included in the Poisson regression model and adjusted to their next highest level (p<0.1). RESULTS: Pap testing occurred in 84.1% of cases (95%CI 79.0-88.4). Based on multivariate regression analysis, three variables remained significantly associated with access to Pap testing: the marital status "without partner" (older women who were single, widowed, separated or divorced), self-sufficiency to perform Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) and adherence to mammography. In the interblock analysis these variables remained significantly associated with the outcome variable, and self-sufficiency for IADLs had the highest association. CONCLUSIONS: Among the older women comprising the study sample, was observed variation in the use of Pap testing. An adjustment of public health policies towards the formulation of policies giving priority to universal preventive care may be an alternative to solve the disparities observed.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2006;28(4):214-219
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032006000400002
PURPOSE: to evaluate the characteristics of mammography use and the social demographic profile of women accessing public and private health care services. METHODS: a cross-sectional study was carried out in the city of Taubaté, southeast Brazil. Six hundred and forty-three women who underwent mammographic examinations in the available health care services were interviewed, 472 of them in public and 171 in private health services. The social demographic and reproductive profiles of the women interviewed and the characteristics of the mammography use, such as the proportion of the women interviewed who had been previously screened, the age when the screening began, the interval between the screenings and their frequency, were evaluated by means of the Fisher exact, Wilcoxon and chi2 tests. RESULTS: the mean age of the interviewed women was similar in both studied groups. The proportion of women previously screened 54.2 and 79.5% in public and private services, respectively as well as the age when the screening began 46.8 years (SD 10.2%) in public services and 40.2 years (SD 7.7) in private services differed significantly (p<0.01). Twenty-five percent of women older than 50 years did not follow the adequate standards of periodic screening. CONCLUSIONS: the way of accessing health services has influenced the proportion of women previously screened and the age at which this screening began, being more adequate in the private health system. Although there was a later start in the public health services, the age when the mammographic screening began was earlier than the current official recommendations. There has been a failure of compliance with mammographic screening in women older than 50 years, in both researched groups.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2006;28(4):214-219
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032006000400002
PURPOSE: to evaluate the characteristics of mammography use and the social demographic profile of women accessing public and private health care services. METHODS: a cross-sectional study was carried out in the city of Taubaté, southeast Brazil. Six hundred and forty-three women who underwent mammographic examinations in the available health care services were interviewed, 472 of them in public and 171 in private health services. The social demographic and reproductive profiles of the women interviewed and the characteristics of the mammography use, such as the proportion of the women interviewed who had been previously screened, the age when the screening began, the interval between the screenings and their frequency, were evaluated by means of the Fisher exact, Wilcoxon and chi2 tests. RESULTS: the mean age of the interviewed women was similar in both studied groups. The proportion of women previously screened 54.2 and 79.5% in public and private services, respectively as well as the age when the screening began 46.8 years (SD 10.2%) in public services and 40.2 years (SD 7.7) in private services differed significantly (p<0.01). Twenty-five percent of women older than 50 years did not follow the adequate standards of periodic screening. CONCLUSIONS: the way of accessing health services has influenced the proportion of women previously screened and the age at which this screening began, being more adequate in the private health system. Although there was a later start in the public health services, the age when the mammographic screening began was earlier than the current official recommendations. There has been a failure of compliance with mammographic screening in women older than 50 years, in both researched groups.