Health inequalities in cancer care: a literature review of pathways to diagnosis in the United Kingdom.
review · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39398494.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102864 and PMC identifier 11470173.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
This literature review discusses current health disparities in cancer care in the United Kingdom, spanning access to services, diagnosis, and outcomes. These inequities stem from a complex interplay of factors such as health literacy, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, gender, geography, and lifestyle choices. Health literacy plays a crucial role in timely healthcare seeking and diagnosis, while cultural beliefs significantly shape perceptions and behaviours. Socioeconomic barriers often result in delayed diagnosis and inferior outcomes due to limited access to preventive measures and high-quality treatment. Barriers to timely diagnosis include non-specific symptoms, variations in diagnostic intervals influenced by age and gender, and non-attendance at secondary care appointments. Addressing these challenges necessitates initiatives aimed at improving health literacy, implementing culturally sensitive screening approaches, and enhancing accessibility to both primary and secondary care services.