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Oncology mortality: weekend and summer vacation effect.
Sema Yilmaz Rakici1, Ozlem Terzi2
1Radiation Oncology, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize, Turkey sema.rakici@erdogan.edu.tr.
BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
|April 11, 2023
Summary
Cancer patient deaths increase during weekends and August, suggesting a "weekend effect" and potential impact of summer vacation on mortality. This highlights a need for further investigation into these temporal patterns.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Public Health
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Temporal variations in mortality, such as the weekend effect, are observed across various medical conditions.
- Understanding these patterns in cancer patients is crucial for resource allocation and patient care optimization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of weekends and summer vacation periods on mortality rates in cancer patients.
- To identify specific demographic and clinical factors associated with place and timing of death in oncology patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of patient data from hospital registry records and the Ministry of Health's Death Notification System.
- Statistical examination of mortality patterns concerning day of the week, month, age, disease stage, metastasis, and location of death (hospital vs. home).
Main Results:
- A significant increase in cancer patient deaths was observed during weekends, particularly in hospitals.
- August showed a higher frequency of in-hospital deaths, coinciding with summer vacation periods.
- Older patients (≥65 years) were more likely to die at home, while younger patients (<65 years) predominantly died in hospitals.
Conclusions:
- The study provides evidence supporting a 'weekend effect' on mortality in oncology patients.
- Increased death rates in August suggest a potential impact of summer vacation leave on cancer patient mortality.
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