title: Importance of accessible cancer care.
abstract: Accessibility is a fundamental principle of government run health systems. Despite this, many factors impair access to care including geography, language, socioeconomic status and gender. Waiting for health care is a barrier to access that can result in significant anxiety and stress, deterioration in functional status and loss of income. Prompt access to diagnosis and treatment are key requirements to improving survival and quality of life for patients with cancer. This review will focus on studies, programs and policies aimed at improving access to care, applicability to patients with lymphoma, and potential impact. There is a growing burden on health care systems due to increasing cancer incidence and escalating health expenditures. Accordingly, initiatives and programs must be evaluated for effectiveness and efficiency.
authors: Department of Medical Oncology and Haematology, CancerCare Manitoba, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Canada. Electronic address: pamela.skrabek@cancercare.mb.ca.
authors: Pamela
authors: P
authors: Skrabek
mesh_terms: D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D015996:Survival Rate
keywords: Access; Cancer; Disparity