Leveraging national and global political determinants of health to promote equity in cancer care

Navigating authoritarian politics: towards reflexive framing in healthcare research

BACKGROUND

How do Northern Global Health scholars navigate authoritarian political contexts in their research in other countries? This question motivated the research project on which this article is based. Over ten months, we conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with sixteen European and North American scholars who were engaged in health-related research in an authoritarian country we refer to as Patria.

RESULTS

All our interviewees recognized health as a political matter and acknowledged the importance of considering politics in Global Health research. Yet, they were reluctant to explicitly integrate politically sensitive topics and discuss questions related to local political context in their research. To gain and maintain access, and to protect themselves and their local collaborators in a politically sensitive and authoritarian context, the researchers employed practices of 'framing'. Such strategies included avoiding terms, scholarly references, and questions that were politically loaded; strategically conforming to the assumed apolitical language and methodologies of health research, and negotiating with and leaning on their local counterparts in processes of research dissemination and writing.

CONCLUSION

Drawing on frame theory and literature on fieldwork and authoritarianism we discuss the implications our findings have, not only for Global Health research, but for healthcare sciences more broadly. While researchers who work in authoritarian regimes may be particularly prone to engage in practices of framing, the strategies our interviewees used are not limited to Global Health researchers working in such settings. As anthropologists with experience researching health in multiple countries, including in the United States, we recognize the strategies that our interlocutors used from our own research. By including a discussion of some of the ways political factors have shaped our research we make an argument for the value of political reflexivity in health research: the critical scrutiny of the taken-for-granted presuppositions and norms that guide our research, and of the political environments and power dynamics that shape and are shaped by our research. A turn to political reflexivity in health research can unravel some of the tacit assumptions, biases, norms and practices that are integral to the health care sciences and which students and researchers must critically think about.

National Cancer System Characteristics and Global Pan-Cancer Outcomes

Importance

Approximately 29.9 million cancer cases and 15.3 million deaths are anticipated by 2040 globally, necessitating cancer system strengthening. A greater understanding of health system factors that can be leveraged to improve cancer control may guide health system planning.

Objective

To evaluate predictors of improved cancer outcomes globally.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This pan-cancer ecological study used the most recent available national health system metrics and cancer statistics, spanning the breadth of global income levels across 185 countries. Estimates of age-standardized mortality to incidence ratios were derived from GLOBOCAN 2022 for patients with cancer of all ages. The analysis took place on November 27, 2024.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Health spending as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP), physicians per 1000 population, nurses and midwives per 1000 population, surgical workforce per 1000 population, GDP per capita, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) service coverage index, availability of pathology services, human development index, gender inequality index (GII), radiotherapy centers per 1000 population, and out-of-pocket expenditure as percentage of current health expenditure were collected. The association between the mortality to incidence ratio (MIR) and each metric was evaluated using univariable linear regressions (α = .0045), which were used to construct multivariable models (α = .05). Variation inflation factor allowed exclusion of variables with significant multicollinearity. R2 measured goodness of fit.

Results

On univariable analysis, all metrics were significantly associated with MIR of cancer (P < .001 for all), including UHC index (β, -0.0076 [95% CI, -0.0083 to -0.0068]), GDP per capita (β, -5.10 × 10-6 [95% CI, -5.75 × 10-6 to -4.46 × 10-6]), clinical and workforce capacity, radiotherapy capacity (β, -88.25 [95% CI, -100.43 to -76.06]), and gender inequality index (β, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.57-0.70]). After including metrics significant on univariable analysis and correcting for multicollinearity, on multivariable analysis, greater UHC index and GDP per capita were independently associated with lower (improved) MIR for cancer. The multivariable model had R2 of 0.87. On multivariable analysis stratified by sex, greater UHC index and greater GDP per capita were independently associated with improved MIR for all cancers. R2 for the multivariable models was 0.87 for females and 0.85 for males.

Conclusions

This study found that global health system metrics related to progress toward universal health care, greater health care spending and GDP per capita, strengthened clinical workforce and capacity, and increased gender equity were associated with improved pan-cancer outcomes at a population level on univariable analysis. The degree of UHC and GDP per capita were independently associated with improved cancer outcomes in multivariable models with good explanatory power. These exploratory findings merit further validation and may guide health system planning and prioritization.

Racial disparities in prostate cancer in the UK and the USA: similarities, differences and steps forwards

In the USA, Black men are approximately twice as likely to be diagnosed with and to die of prostate cancer than white men. In the UK, despite Black men having vastly different ancestral contexts and health-care systems from Black men in the USA, the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer is two-to-three times higher among Black British men than among white British men and Black British men are twice as likely to die of prostate cancer as white British men. Examination of racial disparities in prostate cancer in the USA and UK highlights systemic, socio-economic and sociocultural factors that might contribute to these differences. Variation by ancestry could affect incidence and tumour genomics. Disparities in incidence might also be affected by screening guidelines and access to and uptake of screening. Disparities in treatment access, continuity of care and outcomes could contribute to survival differences. In both localized and metastatic settings, equal access could diminish the observed disparities in both the USA and the UK. An understanding of behavioural medicine, especially an appreciation of cultural beliefs about illness and treatment, could inform and improve the ways in which health systems can engage with and deliver care to patients in minoritized groups affected by prostate cancer. Methods of promoting equity include targeting systemic barriers including systemic racism, proportional recruitment of patients into clinical trials, diversifying the health-care workforce and facilitating care informed by cultural humility. Actively engaging patients and communities in research and intervention might enable the translation of research into increasingly equitable care for patients with prostate cancer in the UK, the USA and globally.

The equitable aging in health conceptual framework: international interventions infusing power and justice to address social isolation and loneliness among older adults

Introduction

Social isolation and loneliness among older adults have garnered significant international attention, particularly as structures and services have evolved during a global pandemic. A growing body of research underscores disparities in social isolation and loneliness among intersecting social (e.g., race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability) and physical (e.g., rural/urban) locations. While empirical data about these global trends has increased, conceptual and theoretical frameworks are underdeveloped about disparities in social isolation and loneliness, especially from a global perspective. This article presents a novel equitable aging framework to help contextualize, understand, and explain how power influences disparities in social isolation and loneliness among older adults.

Equitable aging in health conceptual framework

Equitable aging builds on principles in critical gerontology, public health concepts of social and political determinants of health, international human rights, and intersectionality frameworks to present a new conceptual framework for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. Equitable aging centers five domains of power (intrapersonal, interpersonal, disciplinary, structural, and cultural) as critical components (or hub) that drive six political and social determinants of health (economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, social and community context, and laws and politics). The sixth determinant of health (laws and policies) incorporates international human rights (economic, social, cultural, civil, political rights). When justice is infused in these domains of power, political and social determinants of health can produce equitable aging outcomes. The Equitable Aging in Health Framework presents a new tool that incorporates justice and power to help understand and explain disparities in social isolation and loneliness and ultimately how to achieve equitable opportunities for social connections for older adults.

Discussion

To illustrate the utility of this conceptual framework, this article presents six case studies of interventions in China, Taiwan, Spain, Sweden, Mexico, and the United States that employ this framework to address social isolation and loneliness among diverse communities of older adults. These interventions propose new services, programs, and policies that infuse different paradigms of justice and address domains of power in various ways to build social connections and support for older adults.

Investigating the Uptake of Hypofractionation for Breast and Prostate Cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Qualitative Study of Physician and Medical Physicist Perspectives

Purpose

In prostate and breast cancer, moderate hypofractionation (HF) has demonstrated comparable, if not greater, efficacy than conventional fractionation. There is a stark disparity in the uptake of HF between North America and Africa. Using the Consolidative Framework for Implementation Research, we evaluated barriers and facilitators for implementing HF in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods and Materials

Radiation oncologists and medical physicists working in SSA were recruited via the AORTIC Radiation Oncology Special Interest Group and subsequent snowball sampling. Interviews were conducted virtually between November 2022 and January 2023. Transcripts were analyzed using directed content analysis guided by a Consolidative Framework for Implementation of research interview domains and constructs.

Results

In total, 19 interviewees (17 radiation oncologists and 2 medical physicists) from 11 SSA countries participated, of which 94% noted the use of HF (40.05 Gy/15fx or 42.67 Gy/16fx) in breast cancer clinics and 38% in prostate cancer clinics (60-66 Gy/20fx). While nearly all participants identified the benefits of HF for both clinics and patients, many also noted that the lack of long-term data within an African population created discomfort in using HF. Many participants believed in the utility of HF but expressed a lack of confidence in its use caused by uncertainty about the safety of the technique, especially in centers with cobalt or 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy-only capabilities. In breast HF, participants expressed concern regarding breast size and ideal eligibility criteria for patients. In prostate HF, on-treatment imaging and lack of fiducials were identified as barriers. Key facilitators in adopting HF included hands-on training, partnerships with disease-site-specific individuals with HF experience, and consensus on patient eligibility and technique requirements.

Conclusions

HF is regarded as a valuable tool for breast and prostate cancer in SSA, and breast HF is widely used. Attention to the use of 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy with HF, long-term toxicity data in African populations, and training sessions may facilitate further use of HF for prostate cancer.

Global linear accelerator requirements and personalised country recommendations: a cross-sectional, population-based study

BACKGROUND

The Linear Accelerator Shortage Index (LSI) is a practical tool for prioritising the deployment of linear accelerators (LINACs) in various regions within a country. The LSI reflects the ratio of LINAC demand to current availability. The aim of this study was to use the LSI to predict global LINAC needs and classify countries according to the degree of radiotherapy shortage (LINAC shortage grade).

METHODS

In this cross-sectional, population-based study of globally representative, country-level data, we sourced regional LINAC distribution, numbers of radiotherapy centres, and cancer incidence data for 181 countries from the Directory of Radiotherapy Centers and Global Cancer Observatory 2022 databases. Current gross domestic product and gross national income per capita in US dollars were obtained from the World Bank. We calculated an LSI for each country to assess the relative demand and supply of radiotherapy by dividing LINAC use by 450 and multiplying by 100. An LSI of 100 or less indicates no shortage (450 or fewer patients per LINAC), whereas an LSI greater than 100 signals a shortage, with higher values indicating more severe deficits. We categorised countries by LINAC shortage grade: grade 0 (LSI ≤100, no shortage), grade 1 (LSI 101-130, low need), grade 2 (LSI 131-300, high need), grade 3 (LSI >300, excessive need), or grade 4 (no existing LINACs). We estimated LINAC requirements until 2045 using the LSI and Global Cancer Observatory data. We determined future investment costs according to the LSI for each country.

FINDINGS

As of the data cutoff on Sept 15, 2024, the global median LSI was 130 (IQR 96-319), suggesting a shortage of 30% in radiotherapy capacity. Significant disparities in median LSI were observed across income levels: low-income countries had a median LSI of 1523 (528-2247), lower-middle-income countries 399 (183-685), upper-middle-income countries 133 (104-198), and high-income countries 96 (83-127; p<0·0001). The distribution of countries across LINAC shortage grades was 40 (22%) of 181 as grade 0, 32 (18%) as grade 1, 35 (19%) as grade 2, 38 (21%) as grade 3, and 36 (20%) as grade 4 (no LINACs). Most LINAC shortage grade 4 countries were low income (12 [33%]) or lower-middle income (16 [44%]). The median number of new LINACs needed per country by 2045 was estimated at 6 (1-13) for grade 0, 21 (4-102) for grade 1, 22 (8-80) for grade 2, 52 (26-113) for grade 3, and three (2-14) for grade 4. To meet these demands, also including the replacement of obsolete devices, an estimated 30 470 LINACs will be needed by 2045. The median total investment required for new and replacement machines and radiotherapy centres to meet the 2045 demand is projected at US$162 million (49-369) for grade 0, $216 million (54-772) for grade 1, $143 million (64-580) for grade 2, $238 million (126-561) for grade 3, and $16 million (9-59) for grade 4. A significant change in LINAC shortage grade composition between 2020 and 2045 is predicted, with distribution of 40 (22%) versus seven (4%) for grade 0, 32 (18%) versus 23 (13%) for grade 1, 35 (19%) versus 63 (35%) for grade 2, 38 (21%) versus 52 (29%) for grade 3, and 38 (20%) versus 38 (20%) for grade 4 (p<0·0001).

INTERPRETATION

The LSI and LINAC shortage grade systems are effective for evaluating, monitoring, and forecasting global LINAC needs. The LSI and LINAC shortage grade highlight the substantial disparities in radiotherapy availability and underscore the urgent need for investment in radiotherapy capacity building, particularly in many low-income and middle-income countries.

FUNDING

None.

Radiotherapy recommendation, initiation, and completion: Complex questions of access and equity

In their recent work, Hogan and colleagues shed light on predictors of radiation recommendation, initiation, and completion in the United States across 3 million patients. Further work should use qualitative and intersectional lenses to examine the root causes of poor access to radiation and identify ways to intervene. Steps forward should be multidisciplinary in scope, approaching radiation access through research, clinical interventions, and national policy.

Growing the global cancer care system: success stories from around the world and lessons for the future

Despite major biomedical advancements in various realms of oncology, the benefits of these developments are not equitably distributed, particularly in underresourced settings. Although much work has described the challenges and systemic barriers in global cancer control, in this article we focus on success stories. This article describes clinical care delivered at Rwanda's Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence, the cancer research collaborations under India's National Cancer Grid, and the efforts of Latin America's Institute of Cancer of São Paulo in advancing cancer care and training. These examples highlight the potential of strategic collaborations and resource allocation strategies in improving cancer care globally. We emphasize the critical role of partnerships between physicians and allied health professionals, funders, and policy makers in enhancing access to treatment and infrastructure, advancing contextualized research and national guidelines, and establishing regional and global collaborations. We also draw attention to challenges faced in diverse global settings and outline benchmarks to measure success in the fight against cancer.