title: Public perception of cancer care in Poland and Austria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We compared the public perception of cancer care in Poland and Austria. Both countries are members of the European Union (EU) but reflect two extremes in health-related per capita spending. Recently, the EUROCARE-5 study reported on very discrepant cancer outcomes between the two countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A one-time survey was conducted to compare the public perception of cancer treatment in Poland and Austria. In total, 3,649 subjects, representing the general population, cancer patients, and cancer patients' family members, were surveyed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both countries, cancer was considered the most challenging problem of the health care system, and health care was indicated as the most important issue influencing political election decisions. Polish compared with Austrian cancer patients gave a significantly lower positive assessment of overall cancer treatment efficacy and detection methods. Cancer cure rates estimated by Polish and Austrian citizens were 29% and 44%, respectively. The majority of all citizens interviewed thought that cancer patients should have access to all available registered cancer drugs. However, only 18% of Poles versus 62% of Austrians agreed with the notion that the available cancer treatment in their countries is of a standard comparable to that of other EU countries. Consequently, 24% of Poles and 7% of Austrians identified financial status, age, gender, and residence as factors influencing the availability of cancer treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In both countries, cancer is considered the most challenging problem of the health care system, and health care issues may strongly influence decisions for political elections. Vast differences in the two populations' perceptions of cancer care reflect actual cancer outcomes and the national per capita spending on health-related issues.
authors.affiliation: GfK - Institute of Opinion and Market Research, Warsaw, Poland;
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jȩdrzejewski
authors.affiliation: Clinical Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine I and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University Vienna-General Hospital, Vienna, Austria;
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thallinger
authors.affiliation: GfK - Institute of Opinion and Market Research, Warsaw, Poland;
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mrozik
authors.affiliation: Clinical Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine I and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University Vienna-General Hospital, Vienna, Austria; Initiative "Leben mit Krebs," Vienna, Austria;
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kornek
authors.affiliation: Clinical Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine I and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University Vienna-General Hospital, Vienna, Austria; Initiative "Leben mit Krebs," Vienna, Austria;
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zielinski
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland jjassem@gumed.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jassem
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D001317:Austria; D003625:Data Collection; D005062:European Union; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D011044:Poland
keywords: Austria; Cancer care; Inequalities; Poland; Public perception; Survey