Kristin Weeks1, Charles F Lynch2, Michele West3, Ryan Carnahan4, Michael O'Rorke4, Jacob Oleson5, Megan McDonald6, Sherri L Stewart7, Mary Charlton2. 1. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America; Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America. Electronic address: kristin-weeks@uiowa.edu. 2. Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America; Iowa Cancer Registry, State Health Registry of Iowa, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America. 3. Iowa Cancer Registry, State Health Registry of Iowa, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America. 4. Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America. 5. Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America. 6. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, United States of America. 7. Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Up to one-third of women with ovarian cancer in the United States do not receive surgical care from a gynecologic oncologist specialist despite guideline recommendations. We aim to investigate the impact of rurality on receiving surgical care from a specialist, referral to a specialist, and specialist surgery after referral, and the consequences of specialist care. METHODS: We utilized a retrospective cohort created through an extension of standard cancer surveillance in three Midwestern states. Multivariable adjusted logistic regression was utilized to assess gynecologic oncologist treatment of women 18-89 years old, who were diagnosed with primary, histologically confirmed, malignant ovarian cancer in 2010-2012 in Kansas, Missouri and Iowa by rurality. RESULTS: Rural women were significantly less likely to receive surgical care from a gynecologic oncologist specialist (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24-0.58) and referral to a specialist (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.23-0.59) compared to urban women. There was no significant difference in specialist surgery after a referral (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.26-1.20). Rural women treated surgically by a gynecologic oncologist versus non-specialist were more likely to receive cytoreduction and more complete tumor removal to ≤1 cm. CONCLUSION: There is a large rural-urban difference in receipt of ovarian cancer surgery from a gynecologic oncologist specialist (versus a non-specialist). Disparities in referral rates contribute to the rural-urban difference. Further research will help define the causes of referral disparities, as well as promising strategies to address them.
OBJECTIVE: Up to one-third of women with ovarian cancer in the United States do not receive surgical care from a gynecologic oncologist specialist despite guideline recommendations. We aim to investigate the impact of rurality on receiving surgical care from a specialist, referral to a specialist, and specialist surgery after referral, and the consequences of specialist care. METHODS: We utilized a retrospective cohort created through an extension of standard cancer surveillance in three Midwestern states. Multivariable adjusted logistic regression was utilized to assess gynecologic oncologist treatment of women 18-89 years old, who were diagnosed with primary, histologically confirmed, malignant ovarian cancer in 2010-2012 in Kansas, Missouri and Iowa by rurality. RESULTS: Rural women were significantly less likely to receive surgical care from a gynecologic oncologist specialist (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24-0.58) and referral to a specialist (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.23-0.59) compared to urban women. There was no significant difference in specialist surgery after a referral (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.26-1.20). Rural women treated surgically by a gynecologic oncologist versus non-specialist were more likely to receive cytoreduction and more complete tumor removal to ≤1 cm. CONCLUSION: There is a large rural-urban difference in receipt of ovarian cancer surgery from a gynecologic oncologist specialist (versus a non-specialist). Disparities in referral rates contribute to the rural-urban difference. Further research will help define the causes of referral disparities, as well as promising strategies to address them.
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