Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42194491›Full record

ArticleHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2026

The Factors Associated with Access to Healthcare Services for Cancer Patients in Saudi Arabia.

Zahraa Alakrawi, Nouf Al-Kahtani, Alaa Alsaffar, Bayan Alhamadah, Nada Altawal, Hassan Aljumaia, Kawther Alakrawi, Hayat Mushcab

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Article in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Zahraa AlakrawiDepartment of Health Information Management and Technology, College of Public Health, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0002-2890-8833
Nouf Al-KahtaniDepartment of Health Information Management and Technology, College of Public Health, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0003-0211-5461
Alaa AlsaffarDepartment of Health Information Management and Technology, College of Public Health, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0009-0005-9599-3360
Bayan AlhamadahDepartment of Health Information Management and Technology, College of Public Health, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0009-0008-8989-4157
Nada AltawalDepartment of Health Information Management and Technology, College of Public Health, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0009-0005-6369-3208
Hassan AljumaiaMinistry of Health, P.O. Box 2477, Al Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0009-0006-3353-5919
Kawther AlakrawiKing Abdulaziz University Dental Hospital, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0009-0007-5222-2835
Hayat MushcabResearch Office, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran 34465, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0003-4398-7020

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer is a chronic disease with significant health impacts and is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Cancer patients often require frequent hospital visits to manage their condition effectively. Therefore, understanding the factors that influence their ability to access healthcare services-such as age, gender, citizenship, region of residence, educational level, and income-is crucial, as these factors can impact continuity of care and overall quality of life. PURPOSE: This study aims to identify the factors determining cancer patients' healthcare access and to propose alternative solutions that will enhance their ability to access services.

methodsThis cross-sectional quantitative study utilized the health belief model for data analysis. Data were collected randomly through an online questionnaire targeting cancer patients across Saudi Arabia.

resultsThe findings indicated that payment method, distance to healthcare facilities, tumor type, and willingness to use virtual appointments were significantly associated with access to healthcare services. A total of 391 participants were included, the majority of whom were female (

conclusionsAccess to healthcare services for cancer patients in Saudi Arabia is challenged by several factors, including payment methods, travel distance, cancer type, and the acceptance of health applications. Promoting digital health tools and virtual appointments can significantly improve access to care and facilitate ongoing management for cancer patients.

Indexed as

access to healthcare servicescancerdisease progressionhealth belief modelrisk factorsvirtual appointment

Identifiers

PMID42194491
PMCPMC13205378

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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.