title: Use of inpatient rehabilitation for cancer patients in Switzerland: who undergoes cancer rehabilitation?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rehabilitation for cancer patients aims to reduce physical disability and mental distress resulting from the disease and its treatment. However, little is known about the use of cancer inpatient rehabilitation in Switzerland in relation to sociodemographic and medical characteristics. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate whether there are differences in sociodemographic and medical characteristics between patients who underwent inpatient rehabilitation (users) and those who did not (nonusers).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 238 cancer patients from the University Hospital Zurich were included. The sociodemographic and medical characteristics of inpatient rehabilitation users were assessed and compared with those of nonusers. We analysed the differences between inpatient rehabilitation users and nonusers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the patients included, 101 (42.4%) used inpatient rehabilitation. They were less likely to be employed (p = 0.029), stayed longer in hospital (p <0.001), and were more likely to have semiprivate or private supplementary health insurance (p = 0.030) than nonusers. There were differences in cancer site (p = 0.001). Patients with tumours of the digestive organs or of the thoracic organs were more likely to use rehabilitation, whereas breast cancer patients were less likely to use it. Stratified analyses showed that male patients with semiprivate or private supplementary health insurance (p = 0.037), lower education (p = 0.039), and lower likelihood of employment (p = 0.051) were more likely to use rehabilitation. Women with an advanced tumour stage used inpatient rehabilitation more often (p = 0.012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings show the influence of duration of hospitalisation, insurance type, cancer site, employment status, and gender on the use of inpatient cancer rehabilitation. The results indicate the need of structured standardised procedures for medical referral to be implemented based on screening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ture
authors.affiliation: Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.affiliation: RehaClinic Bad Zurzach, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Angst
authors.affiliation: RehaClinic Bad Zurzach, Switzerland.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aeschlimann
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schnyder
authors.affiliation: Susenberg Klinik Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nic
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zerkiebel
authors.affiliation: RehaZentrum Davos, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perseus
authors.affiliation: Oncology Centre Hirslanden Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Renner
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Imesch
authors.affiliation: Balgrist University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gerhard Frank
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.affiliation: Department of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Walt
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martin-Soelch
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jenewein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000191:economics / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013557:Switzerland; D055815:Young Adult