Maike Trommer, Piers Gillett, Fanny Franchini, Karen Trapani, Colin Hornby, Skye Abraham, Dishan Herath, Karla Gough, Keith Donohoe, Phillip Tran, Farshad Foroudi, Maarten IJzerman, Richard Khor
{"title":"Travel distance and potential disparities in palliative radiotherapy access for cancer patients in Victoria, Australia.","authors":"Maike Trommer, Piers Gillett, Fanny Franchini, Karen Trapani, Colin Hornby, Skye Abraham, Dishan Herath, Karla Gough, Keith Donohoe, Phillip Tran, Farshad Foroudi, Maarten IJzerman, Richard Khor","doi":"10.1007/s00066-025-02418-8","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Palliative radiotherapy (PRT) is crucial for improving quality of life in patients with advanced-staged cancer. This large data analysis investigates the travel distances and potential disparities in PRT access especially focusing on the burden of excess travel for palliative cancer patients in Victoria, Australia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a state-wide linked dataset from the PRedicting the health economic IMPact of new and current Cancer Treatments (PRIMCAT) research program, we analysed the estimated road travel distance (ERTD) and potential excess travel distance (PETD) as well as received radiotherapy fractions for 29,807 PRT patients being treated from 2010-2019. We examined disparities by socioeconomic status (SEIFA) and remoteness (RA) of the residential area of PRT patients, and receiving treatment at a public or private centre.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The average one-way ERTD for all PRT patients was 43 km, with variations based on SEIFA and RA. Patients in the lowest SEIFA quintile and those living in outer regional areas had the longest ERTD. Approximately 50% did not receive treatment at the closest facility, with a mean PETD of 27.9 km for private and 24.3 km for public facility patients. Fractionation patterns showed no significant reduction in the number of fractions with increased travel distance. Patients at private facilities received more fractions on average (8.49) compared to those at public facilities (5.91).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study highlights potential disparities in PRT access in Victoria, with patients living in socioeconomically disadvantaged and remote regions facing longer travel distances and excess travel. These findings underscore the need for strategic referral practices and further research to optimise equitable access to PRT.</p>","PeriodicalId":21998,"journal":{"name":"Strahlentherapie und Onkologie","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Strahlentherapie und Onkologie","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-025-02418-8","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ONCOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Palliative radiotherapy (PRT) is crucial for improving quality of life in patients with advanced-staged cancer. This large data analysis investigates the travel distances and potential disparities in PRT access especially focusing on the burden of excess travel for palliative cancer patients in Victoria, Australia.
Methods: Using a state-wide linked dataset from the PRedicting the health economic IMPact of new and current Cancer Treatments (PRIMCAT) research program, we analysed the estimated road travel distance (ERTD) and potential excess travel distance (PETD) as well as received radiotherapy fractions for 29,807 PRT patients being treated from 2010-2019. We examined disparities by socioeconomic status (SEIFA) and remoteness (RA) of the residential area of PRT patients, and receiving treatment at a public or private centre.
Results: The average one-way ERTD for all PRT patients was 43 km, with variations based on SEIFA and RA. Patients in the lowest SEIFA quintile and those living in outer regional areas had the longest ERTD. Approximately 50% did not receive treatment at the closest facility, with a mean PETD of 27.9 km for private and 24.3 km for public facility patients. Fractionation patterns showed no significant reduction in the number of fractions with increased travel distance. Patients at private facilities received more fractions on average (8.49) compared to those at public facilities (5.91).
Conclusion: This study highlights potential disparities in PRT access in Victoria, with patients living in socioeconomically disadvantaged and remote regions facing longer travel distances and excess travel. These findings underscore the need for strategic referral practices and further research to optimise equitable access to PRT.
期刊介绍：
Strahlentherapie und Onkologie, published monthly, is a scientific journal that covers all aspects of oncology with focus on radiooncology, radiation biology and radiation physics. The articles are not only of interest to radiooncologists but to all physicians interested in oncology, to radiation biologists and radiation physicists. The journal publishes original articles, review articles and case studies that are peer-reviewed. It includes scientific short communications as well as a literature review with annotated articles that inform the reader on new developments in the various disciplines concerned and hence allow for a sound overview on the latest results in radiooncology research.
Founded in 1912, Strahlentherapie und Onkologie is the oldest oncological journal in the world. Today, contributions are published in English and German. All articles have English summaries and legends. The journal is the official publication of several scientific radiooncological societies and publishes the relevant communications of these societies.
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