Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38626980›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2024

The impact of delayed diagnosis and treatment due to COVID-19 on Australian thyroid cancer patients: a qualitative interview study.

Bianka D'souza, Anthony Glover, Claire Bavor, Benjamin Brown, Rachael H Dodd, James C Lee, Jeremy Millar, Julie A Miller, John R Zalcberg, Jonathan Serpell and 2 more

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PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

12 authors.

Bianka D'souzaSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6372-4896
Anthony GloverThe University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Claire BavorMonash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Benjamin BrownMonash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Rachael H DoddThe University of Sydney School of Public Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-8080-6359
James C LeeDepartment of Surgery, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-6679-274X
Jeremy MillarMonash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-8202-8602
Julie A MillerEndocrine Surgery Unit, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
John R ZalcbergMonash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Jonathan SerpellDepartment of Surgery, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Liane J IoannouMonash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Brooke NickelThe University of Sydney School of Public Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia brooke.nickel@sydney.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0002-8100-4278

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe study aims to investigate the perceptions of patients with thyroid cancer on the potential impact of diagnosis and treatment delays during the COVID-19 pandemic.

designThis study involved qualitative semi-structured telephone interviews. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, analysed using the thematic framework analysis method and reported using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research.

settingParticipants in the study were treated and/or managed at hospital sites across New South Wales and Victoria, Australia.

participants17 patients with thyroid cancer were interviewed and included in the analysis (14 females and 3 males).

resultsThe delays experienced by patients ranged from <3 months to >12 months. The patients reported about delays to diagnostic tests, delays to surgery and radioactive iodine treatment, perceived disease progression and, for some, the financial burden of choosing to go through private treatment to minimise the delay. Most patients also reported not wanting to experience delays any longer than they did, due to unease and anxiety.

conclusionsThis study highlights an increased psychological burden in patients with thyroid cancer who experienced delayed diagnosis and/or treatment during COVID-19. The impacts experienced by patients during this time may be similar in the case of other unexpected delays and highlight the need for regular clinical review during delays to diagnosis or treatment.

Indexed as

COVID-19Thyroid NeoplasmsCOVID-19 TestingDelayed DiagnosisFemaleHumansIodine RadioisotopesMalePandemicsQualitative ResearchVictoriaIodine RadioisotopesCOVID-19OtolaryngologyThyroid disease

Identifiers

PMID38626980
PMCPMC11029499

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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.