Gaps in access to oncological treatment in a reference health hospital in the south of Lima in 2019

Brechas de acceso al tratamiento oncológico en un hospital de salud de referencia del Sur de Lima en el año 2019

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer, a chronic disease that has a high incidence with 14.1 million people and more than 8.1 million deaths, generating a large access gap according to the user's perception.

Objectives: To determine the gaps in access to cancer treatment in a Hospital in Peru in 2019, due to predisposing, enabling and necessary factors. Method: observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study with 185 patients diagnosed with cancer who were treated at the oncology department of the Hospital María Auxiliadora between March and December 2019, applying a random survey.

Results: The predisposing factors for the gap in access to cancer care were: primary education or none (p= 0.000), female gender (p=0.043), being afraid of a cancer diagnosis (p=0.000), being afraid of interventions (p=0.043) and being over 65 years old (p=0.000), having feelings of helplessness (p=0.000). Within the enabling factors as a gap: not having a job (p=0.011), payment for exams in a private way (p=0.035), stop working (p=0.039), payment for medicines in a private way (p= 0.000), resort to the loan (p= 0.009), health expenditure between 501-1000 soles in health (p=0.048). Of the necessary factors: having moderate to severe anemia (p=0.002) or having required more than one treatment in combination (p=0.003).

Conclusions: there is a gap for cancer care such as those concerning the predisposing factor (fear of cancer diagnosis and treatment); enabling (infrastructure and equipment, payment for medicines) and necessary factor (severe anemia).