ReviewDigestive diseases and sciences2026
Inequalities in Gastrointestinal Care Provision in the United Kingdom.
Review in Digestive diseases and sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundGastrointestinal (GI) and liver diseases impose a substantial burden on the United Kingdom's health system, ranking among the leading causes of mortality, cancer-related deaths, and hospital admissions. Despite the universal framework of the National Health Service (NHS), profound inequalities persist across socioeconomic, geographic, and ethnic lines.
objectivesThis review focuses on colorectal cancer (CRC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as exemplar conditions, synthesising current evidence on disparities across the care continuum and exploring strategies to mitigate them.
methodsCurrent national data and published evidence were reviewed to assess inequities in disease prevalence, access to care, and outcomes across socioeconomic strata, regions, and ethnic groups. The analysis also examined workforce distribution, policy frameworks, and emerging interventions aimed at addressing these disparities.
resultsDisease prevalence and outcomes are markedly worse in socioeconomically deprived regions; liver disease mortality is more than twice as high in the poorest deciles, and CRC survival is significantly lower among disadvantaged populations. Access to care remains uneven-deprived groups exhibit lower CRC screening uptake, delayed diagnoses, and higher emergency presentation rates. Routine HCC surveillance in at-risk patients is inconsistently delivered. Workforce shortages and maldistribution exacerbate these inequities, with under-resourced regions facing longer waiting times and limited specialist access. Systemic challenges, including social determinants, data deficits, and policy underprioritisation, further hinder progress. EMERGING DEVELOPMENTS: Promising advances include the NHS's expansion of community diagnostic centres, targeted workforce investment, national hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination programmes, and structural interventions such as minimum unit pricing for alcohol. Technological innovations-including non-invasive diagnostics and digital tools-offer additional opportunities to bridge care gaps.
conclusionsTargeted actions, such as implementing primary care FibroScan services, CRC outreach initiatives with GP endorsement, and patient navigation for HCC surveillance, are critical to reducing inequalities and improving outcomes. By addressing upstream determinants and ensuring that innovations reach under-served populations, the UK can progress toward reducing GI health inequalities, improving outcomes, and achieving more uniform digestive health across all communities.
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41051645What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.