Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34501835›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2021

Do Patients Residing in Provincial Areas Transport and Spend More on Cancer Treatment in Korea?

Woorim Kim, Kyu-Tae Han, Seungju Kim

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed.

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  10. Difference in medical service use among Korean gastric cancer survivors according to regional healthcare vulnerabilities: a cohort study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022
    Article
  11. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Woorim KimNational Cancer Center, Division of Cancer Control & Policy, National Cancer Control Institute, Goyang 10408, Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-1199-6822
Kyu-Tae HanNational Cancer Center, Division of Cancer Control & Policy, National Cancer Control Institute, Goyang 10408, Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-5817-1203
Seungju KimDepartment of Nursing, College of Nursing, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea.ORCID 0000-0003-3308-3802

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWith the increasing burden of cancer worldwide, a need exists to investigate patterns of healthcare utilization and costs. This study aimed to investigate whether the area of residence is associated with the likelihood of a patient receiving treatment at an institution located outside their residing region. This study also analyzed whether medical travel was related to levels of healthcare utilization and costs.

methodsThis study used the 2007 to 2015 National Health Insurance (NHI) claims data. The residing area was categorized into capital area, metropolitan cities, and provincial area. Healthcare utilization was measured based on days of care and costs based on direct, covered medical costs. Chi-square test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to investigate the general characteristics of the study population. The relationship between the dependent and independent variables were analyzed using the generalized estimating equation (GEE) model.

resultsOf the 64,505 participants included in this study, 19,975 (31.0%) visited medical institutions located outside their residing area. Compared to individuals residing in the capital area, those living in provincial regions (OR 2.202, 95% CI 2.068-2.344) were more likely to visit medical institutions outside their residing area. Healthcare costs were higher in individuals receiving treatment at hospitals located elsewhere (RR 1.054, 95% CI 1.017-1.093).

conclusionCancer patients residing in provincial areas were likely to visit institutions located outside their residing area for treatment. Medical travel was associated with higher levels of spent healthcare costs. Policies should focus on preventing possible related regional cancer disparity and promoting optimal configuration of cancer services.

Indexed as

Medical TourismNeoplasmsHealth Care CostsHumansNational Health ProgramsPatient Acceptance of Health CareRepublic of Koreahealthcare costshealthcare utilizationmedical travelregional disparitytreatment patterns

Identifiers

PMID34501835
PMCPMC8431159

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.