Economic Crisis: A Factor for the Delayed Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

Iasmina Petrovici, Mihaela Ionica and Octavian C. Neagoe
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Iasmina Petrovici: Department of Philosophy and Communication Sciences, Faculty of Political Sciences, Philosophy and Communication Sciences, West University of Timişoara, Vasile Parvan Boulevard No. 4, 300223 Timișoara, Romania
Mihaela Ionica: Second Clinic of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Emergency Clinical Municipal Hospital Timișoara, Gheorghe Dima Street No. 5, 300079 Timișoara, Romania
Octavian C. Neagoe: Second Clinic of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Emergency Clinical Municipal Hospital Timișoara, Gheorghe Dima Street No. 5, 300079 Timișoara, Romania

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-10

Abstract: Considering the constant increase in breast cancer patients, identifying factors that influence the moment of diagnosis is essential for optimizing therapeutic management and associated cost. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the impact of the economic crisis on the moment of a breast cancer diagnosis. This retrospective observational study analyzed a cohort of 4929 patients diagnosed with breast cancer over the course of 19 years in the Western region of Romania. The time interval was divided based on the onset of the economic crisis into 3 periods: pre-crisis (2001–2006), crisis (2007–2012), and post-crisis (2013–2019). The disease stage at the moment of diagnosis was considered either early (stages 0, I, II) or advanced (stages III, IV). Although recording a similar mean number of patients diagnosed per year during the pre- and crisis periods, a significantly higher percentage of patients were diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer during the economic crisis period compared to the previous interval (46.9% vs. 56.3%, p < 0.01). This difference was further accentuated when accounting for environmental setting, with 65.2% of patients from a rural setting being diagnosed with advanced disease during the crisis interval. An overall improvement of 12% in early-stage breast cancer diagnosis was recorded in the post-crisis period (55.7%, p < 0.001). The findings of this study support periods of economic instability as potential factors for a delay in breast cancer diagnosis and highlight the need for the development of specific strategies aimed at reducing cancer healthcare and associated financial burden in times of economic crisis.

Keywords: breast cancer; public health; risk factor; economic crisis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:8:p:3998-:d:533838

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