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Kartik P, Liu JF, Sudarsan RT, Srinivasan A, Jayaraman D, Sivaprakasam P, John R, Uppuluri R, Scott JX, Jalali R, Dandapani M. Evaluation of Pathway to Diagnosis of Pediatric Brain Tumors in Tamil Nadu, India. JCO Glob Oncol 2024; 10:e2300214. [PMID: 38386953 PMCID: PMC10898677 DOI: 10.1200/go.23.00214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Delayed diagnosis and poor awareness are significant barriers to the early intervention of pediatric brain tumors. This multicenter observational study aimed to evaluate the baseline routes and time to diagnosis for pediatric brain tumors in Tamil Nadu (TN), with the goal of promoting early diagnosis and timely referrals in the future. METHODS A standard proforma was used to retrospectively collect information on demographics, diagnosis, referral pathways, and symptoms of incident pediatric brain tumor cases between January 2018 and October 2020 across eight tertiary hospitals in TN. Dates of symptom onset, first presentation of health care, and diagnosis were used to calculate total diagnostic interval (TDI), patient interval (PI), and diagnostic interval (DI). RESULTS A total of 144 cases (mean age, 6.64 years; range, 0-15.1 years) were included in the analysis. Among those, 94% (135/144) were from city/district areas, 40% (55/144) were self-referred, and 90% (129/144) had one to three health care professional visits before diagnosis. Median TDI, PI, and DI were 3.5 (IQR, 1-9.3), 0.6 (IQR, 0.1-4.6), and 0.6 (IQR, 0-3.3) weeks, respectively. Low-grade gliomas had the longest median TDI (6.6 weeks), followed by medulloblastomas (4.6 weeks) and high-grade gliomas (3.3 weeks). Average number of symptoms recorded was 1.7 at symptom onset and 1.9 at diagnosis. CONCLUSION Although there are some similarities with data from the United Kingdom, many low-grade and optic pathway tumors were unaccounted for in our study. DIs were relatively short, which suggests that infrastructure may not be a problem in this cohort. Increased training and establishment of proper cancer registries, combined with proper referral pathways, could enhance early diagnosis for these children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prerna Kartik
- School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jo-Fen Liu
- Lifespan and Population Health, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Dhaarani Jayaraman
- Sri Ramachandra Institute for Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| | | | - Rikki John
- Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
| | | | | | - Rakesh Jalali
- Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital, Chennai, India
| | - Madhumita Dandapani
- Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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Boby JM, Rajappa S, Mathew A. Financial toxicity in cancer care in India: a systematic review. Lancet Oncol 2021; 22:e541-e549. [PMID: 34856151 DOI: 10.1016/s1470-2045(21)00468-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Although financial toxicity is widely acknowledged to be a potential consequence of costly cancer treatment, little is known about its prevalence and outcome among the Indian population. In this study, we systematically reviewed the prevalence, determinants, and consequences of financial toxicity among patients with cancer in India. 22 studies were included in the systematic review. The determinants of financial toxicity include household income, type of health-care facility used, stage of disease, area of residence, age at the time of diagnosis, recurrent cancer, educational status, insurance coverage, and treatment modality. Financial toxicity was associated with poor quality of life, accumulation of debts, premature entry into the labour market, and non-compliance with therapy. Our findings emphasise the need for urgent strategies to mitigate financial toxicity among patients with cancer in India, especially in the most deprived sections of society. The qualitative evidence synthesised in this systematic review could provide a basis for the development of such interventions to reduce financial toxicity among patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Senthil Rajappa
- Department of Medical Oncology, Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Hyderabad, India
| | - Aju Mathew
- Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Medical College, Kolenchery, India.
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Prasad M, Goswami S. Barriers to long-term follow-up in adolescent and young adult survivors of childhood cancer: Perspectives from a low-middle income setting. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2021; 68:e29248. [PMID: 34286916 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maya Prasad
- Paediatric Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India
| | - Savita Goswami
- Clinical Psychology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India
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Mitterer S, Zimmermann K, Bergsträsser E, Simon M, Gerber AK, Fink G. Measuring Financial Burden in Families of Children Living With Life-Limiting Conditions: A Scoping Review of Cost Indicators and Outcome Measures. VALUE IN HEALTH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHARMACOECONOMICS AND OUTCOMES RESEARCH 2021; 24:1377-1389. [PMID: 34452718 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2021.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of cost indicators and outcome measures used to measure financial burden in families of children with life-limiting conditions. METHODS A scoping review methodology was used to map the existing literature and provide an overview of available cost indicators and outcome measures. Key medical, economic, and scientific databases were systematically searched to identify relevant articles published in 2000 or later. RESULTS The database search yielded 7194 records, including 30 articles eligible for final inclusion. Retrieved cost indicators and outcome measures fell into 3 broad categories: direct costs, indirect costs, and financial support. No study comprehensively assessed all 3 categories. Cost indicators used to measure direct costs were grouped into 5 medical and 11 nonmedical out-of-pocket expenses categories, of which 5 were commonly assessed (ie, treatment and diagnostics, travel and transport, accommodation, food, childcare and home help). Half of the reviewed studies included assessments of indirect costs, most commonly estimating work-related income loss by evaluating employment disruptions. Assessments of opportunity costs arising from informal caregiving and of financial support were rarely included. CONCLUSIONS Current estimates of the financial burden faced by families of children with life-limiting conditions are inconsistent and often incomplete, likely resulting in severe underestimations of the costs these families incur. We hope that the framework presented in this article will contribute to a more comprehensive assessment of illness-related financial burden and help guide future policies in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Mitterer
- Department Public Health - Nursing Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Karin Zimmermann
- Department Public Health - Nursing Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Paediatric Palliative Care and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Eva Bergsträsser
- Paediatric Palliative Care and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Simon
- Department Public Health - Nursing Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Kathrin Gerber
- Department Public Health - Nursing Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Günther Fink
- Household Economics and Health Systems Research, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
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Kazibwe J, Tran PB, Annerstedt KS. The household financial burden of non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review. Health Res Policy Syst 2021; 19:96. [PMID: 34154609 PMCID: PMC8215836 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-021-00732-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The chronic nature of noncommunicable diseases (NCD) and costs associated with long-term care can result in catastrophic health expenditure for the patient and their household pushing them deeper into poverty and entrenching inequality in society. As the full financial burden of NCDs is not known, the objective of this study was to explore existing evidence on the financial burden of NCDs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), specifically estimating the cost incurred by patients with NCDs and their households to inform the development of strategies to protect such households from catastrophic expenditure. METHODS This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines, PROSPERO: CRD42019141088. Eligible studies published between 1st January 2000 to 7th May 2020 were systematically searched for in three databases: Medline, Embase and Web of Science. A two-step process, comprising of qualitative synthesis proceeded by quantitative (cost) synthesis, was followed. The mean costs are presented in 2018 USD. FINDINGS 51 articles were included, out of which 41 were selected for the quantitative cost synthesis. Most of the studies were cross-sectional cost-of-illness studies, of which almost half focused on diabetes and/or conducted in South-East Asia. The average total costs per year to a patient/household in LMICs of COPD, CVD, cancers and diabetes were $7386.71, $6055.99, $3303.81, $1017.05, respectively. CONCLUSION This review highlighted major data and methodological gaps when collecting data on costs of NCDs to households along the cascade of care in LMICs. More empirical data on cost of specific NCDs are needed to identify the diseases and contexts where social protection interventions are needed most. More rigorous and standardised methods of data collection and costing for NCDs should be developed to enable comprehensive and comparable evidence of the economic and financial burden of NCDs to patients and households in LMICs. The available evidence on costs reveals a large financial burden imposed on patients and households in seeking and receiving NCD care and emphasizes the need for adequate and reliable social protection interventions to be implemented alongside Universal Health Coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Kazibwe
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
- The Health and Social Protection Action Research and Knowledge Sharing Network (SPARKS), Solna, Sweden
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Phuong Bich Tran
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
- The Health and Social Protection Action Research and Knowledge Sharing Network (SPARKS), Solna, Sweden
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Kristi Sidney Annerstedt
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.
- The Health and Social Protection Action Research and Knowledge Sharing Network (SPARKS), Solna, Sweden.
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Behan JM, Arora RS, Carnevale FA, Bakhshi S, Bhattacharjee B, Tsimicalis A. An Ethnographic Study of the Moral Experiences of Children with Cancer in New Delhi, India. Glob Qual Nurs Res 2021; 8:2333393621995814. [PMID: 33748333 PMCID: PMC7905724 DOI: 10.1177/2333393621995814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a paucity of research examining children’s experiences with cancer in India. Childhood ethics is an emerging field, focusing on the moral dimension of children’s experiences, to promote children’s participation in their health care. A focused ethnography, using a moral experience framework, was conducted to better understand children’s participation in decisions, discussions, and actions in three oncology settings in New Delhi, India. We interviewed key informants, retrieved key documents, and conducted semi-structured interviews and participant observations with children. All 22 children demonstrated interest in varying aspects of their cancer care. Certain factors facilitated or impeded their participation. Some children became distressed when they lacked information about their treatment or were not given opportunities to enhance their understanding. The results advance our understanding of the moral experiences of children with cancer in India for healthcare professionals, policy makers, families, and interested others.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sameer Bakhshi
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Iragorri N, de Oliveira C, Fitzgerald N, Essue B. The Out-of-Pocket Cost Burden of Cancer Care-A Systematic Literature Review. Curr Oncol 2021; 28:1216-1248. [PMID: 33804288 PMCID: PMC8025828 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol28020117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Out-of-pocket costs pose a substantial economic burden to cancer patients and their families. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the literature on out-of-pocket costs of cancer care. METHODS A systematic literature review was conducted to identify studies that estimated the out-of-pocket cost burden faced by cancer patients and their caregivers. The average monthly out-of-pocket costs per patient were reported/estimated and converted to 2018 USD. Costs were reported as medical and non-medical costs and were reported across countries or country income levels by cancer site, where possible, and category. The out-of-pocket burden was estimated as the average proportion of income spent as non-reimbursable costs. RESULTS Among all cancers, adult patients and caregivers in the U.S. spent between USD 180 and USD 2600 per month, compared to USD 15-400 in Canada, USD 4-609 in Western Europe, and USD 58-438 in Australia. Patients with breast or colorectal cancer spent around USD 200 per month, while pediatric cancer patients spent USD 800. Patients spent USD 288 per month on cancer medications in the U.S. and USD 40 in other high-income countries (HICs). The average costs for medical consultations and in-hospital care were estimated between USD 40-71 in HICs. Cancer patients and caregivers spent 42% and 16% of their annual income on out-of-pocket expenses in low- and middle-income countries and HICs, respectively. CONCLUSIONS We found evidence that cancer is associated with high out-of-pocket costs. Healthcare systems have an opportunity to improve the coverage of medical and non-medical costs for cancer patients to help alleviate this burden and ensure equitable access to care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Iragorri
- Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada; (C.d.O.); (B.E.)
- The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Toronto, ON M5H 1J8, Canada;
| | - Claire de Oliveira
- Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada; (C.d.O.); (B.E.)
- The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Toronto, ON M5H 1J8, Canada;
- Centre for Health Economics and Hull York Medical School, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Institute for Mental Health Policy Research and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada
| | | | - Beverley Essue
- Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada; (C.d.O.); (B.E.)
- The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Toronto, ON M5H 1J8, Canada;
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