Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40952275›Full record

ArticleAsian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP2025

Spatial Analysis of Travel Distances for Persons with Common Cancers Seeking Care at a Tertiary Care Facility in South India: An Operational Research.

Loganathan Devaraj, James Devasia, Swaroop Kumar Sahu, Gunaseelan Karunanithi, Prasanth Ganesn, Sona Priyanka Auroprem, Jeby Jose Olickal, Mahalakshmy Thulasingam

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In one paragraph

Article in Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

8 authors.

Loganathan DevarajJIPMER International School of Public Health (JISPH), Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006, India.ORCID 0000-0003-3400-0722
James DevasiaDepartment of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006, India.
Swaroop Kumar SahuDepartment of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006, India.
Gunaseelan KarunanithiDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006, India.
Prasanth GanesnDepartment of Medical Oncology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006, India.
Sona Priyanka AuropremJIPMER International School of Public Health (JISPH), Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006, India.
Jeby Jose OlickalDepartment of Public Health, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, Kerala, 682041, India.
Mahalakshmy ThulasingamDepartment of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006, India.ORCID 0000-0001-8326-2855

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAccessibility is an important determinant of healthcare facility utilization. However, there is limited data on patient travel distances to reach cancer treatment facilities. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the geographical location, travel distance and travel time to the cancer centre for persons with cancer (PWC) at a tertiary care facility in Southern India.

methodsThe locations of PWC were geocoded utilizing ArcGIS World Geocoding Services, and network analysis was performed using the ArcGIS Pro Business Analyst Geoprocessing extension. Simple median regression was performed to assess the relationship between sociodemographic and clinical variables for both distance and time.

resultsAmong 1306 persons with common cancer, the mean (SD) age was 51.7 (8.8) years, with 73.5% female, 65.3% residing in rural areas, majority (33% breast cancers), and 34% stage III]. Median travel distance (IQR) for PWC from their residences to the tertiary care facility was 96.2 (36.4-155.7) km, while the median travel time by driving was 154.8 (72.5-235.3) minutes. In 78 % cancer care centres were available within 25 km. Males, individuals residing in rural areas, those with late-stage cancer, and individuals with lip-oral, oesophageal, and stomach cancer tend to travel more than their counterparts for cancer care.

conclusionThe study concludes that more than three-fourths of patients with cancer travel longer distances despite having a nearby cancer care facility.

Indexed as

Health Services AccessibilityNeoplasmsPatient Acceptance of Health CareTertiary Care CentersTravelAdultFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansIndiaMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisRural PopulationSpatial AnalysisAccess to healthcareCancer burdenGeographical information systemoncology servicesTravel distance

Identifiers

PMID40952275
PMCPMC12863271

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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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.