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Oncology clinic attendance at an inner city hospital
Insights
Oncology patients, even with social challenges, demonstrate high clinic attendance rates, with 89% of appointments kept. This suggests suitability for intensive cancer treatment protocols.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Public Health
- Healthcare Access
Background:
- Inner-city cancer clinics serve diverse populations with unique challenges.
- Patient compliance with appointments is crucial for effective cancer treatment.
- Understanding attendance barriers is key to improving cancer care delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively evaluate oncology clinic appointment compliance.
- To identify factors influencing attendance in a predominantly Black, inner-city patient population.
- To assess the feasibility of intensive treatment protocols for this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Prospective evaluation of 100 oncology patients over 12 months.
- Data collection on scheduled vs. kept appointments.
- Analysis of attendance rates by patient demographics, cancer type, and treatment modality.
Main Results:
- Overall clinic attendance was high, with 89% of 657 scheduled appointments kept.
- 53% of patients attended all appointments; 69% attended 80% or more.
- No significant difference in attendance based on sex, age, tumor type, or therapy.
Conclusions:
- Despite social and financial challenges, inner-city oncology patients exhibit strong clinic attendance.
- This patient group is well-suited for cancer treatment protocols requiring frequent visits.
- Targeted interventions may further improve compliance for specific barriers like transportation or confusion.
Abstract:
Compliance in oncology clinic attendance was prospectively evaluated over a 12-month period at Harlem Hospital Center, an inner city municipal facility serving a predominantly black population. One hundred patients were followed (97 blacks, 2 Hispanics, 1 white) with an average age of 60 years. There were 41 men and 59 women. Thirty-one patients had breast cancer, 23 lung cancer, 26 miscellaneous solid tumors, and 20 hematologic malignancies. Forty-two patients received chemotherapy, 14 hormonal therapy, and 44 supportive care alone. Of the 657 appointments scheduled for the total group, 583 (89%) were kept. All scheduled appointments were kept by 53% of patients and 80% or more were kept by 69% of patients. There was no statistically significant difference in clinic attendance according to sex, age younger than 50 years, tumor category, or mode of therapy. Reasons for missing appointments included the patient forgot or was confused (7 cases), weather (5), transportation difficulties (5), clerical error (3), and refusal of further chemotherapy (1). A high rate of clinic attendance is reported in this group of patients with multiple social and financial problems. Such patients are appropriate candidates for treatment protocols requiring frequent clinic visits.