Cost items in melanoma patients by clinical characteristics and time from diagnosis.

Background: Costs related to the care of melanoma patients have been rising over the past few years due to increased disease incidence as well as the introduction of innovative treatments. The aim of this study is to analyse CMM cost items based on stage at diagnosis, together with other diagnostic and prognostic characteristics of the melanoma. Methods: Analyses were performed on 2,647 incident cases of invasive CMM that were registered in 2015 and 2017 in the Veneto Cancer Registry (RTV). Direct melanoma-related costs per patient were calculated for each year ranging from 2 years before diagnosis to 4 years after, and were stratified by cost items such as outpatient services, inpatient drug prescriptions, hospital admissions, hospice admissions, and emergency room treatment. Average yearly costs per patient were compared according to available clinical-pathological characteristics. Lastly, log-linear multivariable analysis was performed to investigate potential cost drivers among these clinical-pathological characteristics. Findings: Overall, the average direct costs related to melanoma are highest in the first year after diagnosis (€2,903) and then decrease over time. Hospitalization costs are 8 to 16 times higher in the first year than in subsequent years, while the costs of outpatient services and inpatient drugs decrease gradually over time. When stratified by stage it is observed that the higher expenditure associated with more advanced stages of CMM is mainly due to inpatient drug use. Conclusion: The results of the present study show that grouping patients according to tumour characteristics can improve our understanding of the different cost items associated with cutaneous malignant melanoma. CMM patients experience higher costs in the first year after diagnosis due to higher hospitalization and outpatient services. Policy makers should consider overall and stage-specific annual costs when allocating resources for the management of CMM patients.

Pharmaceutical pictograms: User-centred redesign, selection and validation.

Objective: In an earlier study, several tested International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) pictograms did not achieve validity among older adults in Singapore. In this study, for 27 unvalidated FIP pictograms, we (1) developed variants of each pictogram, (2) elicited the most-preferred variant, and (3) assessed the validity of the most-preferred variant among older Singaporeans. Methods: In phase 1, up to three variants of the 27 pictograms were developed, based on older adults' feedback from a previous study. In phase 2, the most-preferred variant of 26 pictograms, which had two or three variants, was selected by 100 older participants. In phase 3, the 27 most-preferred variants (including the pictogram with only one variant) were assessed for validity - transparency and translucency - among 278 older participants (10 pictograms per participant). To evaluate transparency, participants were first asked: "If you see this picture on a medicine label, what do you think it means?" for each assigned pictogram. If they responded, they were asked, "How do you know?", and if not, they were told, "Tell me everything you see in this picture". Then, participants were shown their assigned pictograms again, one by one, and the pictogram's intended meaning was revealed to evaluate translucency. Pictograms were classified as valid (≥66% participants interpreted its intended meaning correctly [transparency criterion] and ≥85% participants rated its representativeness as ≥ 5 [translucency criterion]), partially valid (only transparency criterion fulfilled) or not valid. Results: In phase 1, 77 variants of the 27 pictograms were developed. In phase 2, a majority of the most-preferred variants were selected by >50% participants. In phase 3, 10 (37.0%) of the 27 pictograms tested were considered valid, and five (18.5%) were partially valid. A higher proportion of pictograms portraying dose and route of administration and precautions were valid or partially valid, versus those depicting indications or side effects. Conclusion: Contextual redesigning and selection of pharmaceutical pictograms, which initially failed to achieve validity in a population, contributed to their validation. Innovation: The redesigned validated pictograms from this study can be incorporated into relevant patient information materials in clinical practice.

Malignant Melanoma: Direct Costs by Clinical and Pathological Profile.

INTRODUCTION: A number of studies have examined the impact of tumor stage on direct health care costs of patients with melanoma. This study aimed to investigate the association between the direct costs for melanoma and the patients' clinical and histological characteristics. METHODS: The present analysis included 1368 patients diagnosed with melanoma in 2017 in the Veneto Region (northeast Italy) and recorded in a regional population-based melanoma registry. The costs were assessed taking monthly and total direct costs into account. Log-linear multivariable analysis was used to identify the clinical and histological cost drivers, focusing on monthly and total direct costs per patient incurred during the first 2 years after a patient's diagnosis. RESULTS: On multivariable analysis, besides the stage of melanoma, also the presence of mitoses (> 2) was associated with higher monthly direct costs [odds ratio (OR) 1.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-2.08, p = 0.004] in respect to cases with 0-2 mitoses. Vertical growth was associated with higher costs compared with radial growth (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.00-1.64, p = 0.055). Moreover, the association between the absence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and higher monthly direct costs reached statistical significance (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.05-1.64, p = 0.017). There were no differences in monthly direct costs by patients' sex or age, ulceration, or tumor site. CONCLUSION: This study showed that not only tumor stage but also other clinical and histopathologic characteristics have an impact on the direct monthly and total costs of treating melanoma. Further studies on the cost-effectiveness of the various options for managing this disease should take these variables into account, as well as tumor stage, as cost drivers.

Team-Based Care for Improving Hypertension Management: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: We evaluated the effect on long term blood pressure (BP) of an interprofessional team-based care (TBC) intervention, involving nurses, pharmacists, and physicians, compared to usual care. Methods: We conducted a pragmatic randomized controlled study in ambulatory clinics and community pharmacies in Switzerland (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02511093). Uncontrolled treated hypertensive patients were randomized to TBC or usual care (UC). In the TBC group, nurses and pharmacists met patients every 6 weeks to measure BP, assess lifestyle, support medication adherence, and provide health education for 6 months. After each visit, they wrote a report to the physician who could adjust antihypertensive therapy. The outcome was the intention-to-treat difference in mean daytime ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM) and control (<135/85 mmHg) at 6 and 12 months. Results: Eighty-nine patients (60 men/29 women; mean (SD) age: 61(12) year) were randomized to TBC (n = 43) or UC (n = 46). At baseline, mean (SD) BP was 144(10)/90(8) mmHg and 147(12)/87(11) mmHg in the TBC and UC groups. At 6 months, the between-groups difference in daytime systolic ABPM was-3 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI):-10 to +4; p = 0.45]; at 12 months, this difference was-7 mmHg [95% CI:-13 to-2; p = 0.01]. At 6 months, the between-groups difference in daytime diastolic ABPM was +2 mmHg [95% CI:-1 to +6; p = 0.20]; at 12 months, this difference was-2 mmHg [95% CI:-5 to +2; 0.42]. Upon adjustment for baseline covariates including baseline BP, the between-groups differences at 6 and 12 months were maintained. At 6 months, there was no difference in BP control. At 12 months, the TBC group tended to have a better control in systolic BP (p = 0.07) but not in diastolic BP (p = 0.33). Conclusion: While there was not significant effect on BP at 6 months of follow-up, the TBC intervention can help decrease long-term systolic BP among uncontrolled hypertensive patients.

Qualidade das práticas de profissionais dos programas de controle de infecção hospitalar no brasil / Quality of the practices of professionals in hospital infection control programs in Brazil

Programa de Controle de Infecção Hospitalar (PCIH), conhecido na atualidade como Programa de Controle de Infecção Relacionada à Assistência à Saúde (PCIRAS) é um conjunto de ações desenvolvidas deliberada e sistematicamente, com vistas à redução máxima possível da incidência e da gravidade das infecções. A construção deste programa deve considerar a realidade local e as especificidades organizacionais. No entanto, as atividades desenvolvidas pelos serviços de saúde são diversificadas, sendo que no Brasil ainda falta apoio financeiro, incentivo governamental e ainda não há estabelecido um índice de qualidade que permita a comparação entre os locais, tornando-se barreiras para implementação efetiva do PCIH. Objetivo: Analisar a qualidade dos programas de controle de infecção hospitalar no Brasil. Metodologia: Este estudo foi desenvolvido em três etapas: (1) revisão integrativa da literatura; (2) construção e validação de questionário para avaliação dos programas de controle de infecção; (3) estudo transversal realizado em 114 serviços de controle de infecção hospitalar. A revisão da literatura contemplou as bases de dados da LILACS, Web of Science, Scopus e SciELO, por meio dos descritores MeSH: Hospital Infection Control Program, Cross Infection, Quality of Health Care e Infection Control. Para a validação das propriedades psicométricas do instrumento foi feita categorização de acordo com os componentes de estrutura, processo e resultado. O estudo epidemiológico foi realizado em serviços de controle de infecção nas cinco regiões do Brasil, sendo a coleta de dados conduzida entre novembro de 2018 e janeiro de 2019. O Índice de Qualidade dos Programas de Controle de Infecção (IQPCI) foi elaborado por meio da Análise de Componentes Principais aplicada à matriz de correlação amostral das variáveis. Foram definidas as faixas de valores do IQPCI e as respectivas categorias de qualidade. Já o teste não paramétrico Kruskal-Wallis foi escolhido para comparação dos escores obtidos e o nível de significância admitido foi de 0,05. As análises estatísticas foram realizadas utilizando os softwares Epi Info versão 6.0 e IBM® SPSS versão 27. Resultados: Etapa 1: Revisão integrativa: obteve-se uma amostra final de 10 artigos publicados, principalmente no Scopus (60%) e na Web of Science (30%). Observou-se que os elementos estruturais variaram entre os países estudados, sugerindo necessidade de melhoria organizacional e de recursos humanos. Etapa 2: O questionário apresentou índice de validade de conteúdo com média de 0,902 (±0,076) e boa consistência interna dos itens (teste alfa de Cronbach = 0,82), tendo sido utilizado nas cinco regiões brasileiras. Etapa 3: O melhor índice de qualidade dos programas de controle de infecção foi identificado na região Sul (p=0,02), nos hospitais que continham 300 leitos ou mais (p<0,01), naqueles que utilizavam o critério National Healthcare Safety Network para vigilância das infecções (p<0,01) e nos locais que realizavam busca ativa prospectiva como método de vigilância (p<0,01). Conclusão: A revisão integrativa da literatura mostrou a necessidade de investimentos nos componentes de estrutura, processo e resultado. As propriedades psicométricas do instrumento foram validadas, podendo ser utilizado de forma eficiente e confiável em nível nacional. Os resultados reforçaram que o PCIH possui ações diversificadas no contexto da prevenção e controle de IRAS. Por esse motivo, a qualidade dos programas de controle de infecção está relacionada à região do Brasil, ao número de leitos e ao método adotado para vigilância das infecções.

Infection control programs is a set of actions developed deliberately and systematically, with a view to reducing the maximum possible occurrence and severity of infections. The program construction must consider the local reality of the program as organizational specificities. However, the activities carried out by the health services are diversified, and in Brazil there is still a lack of government incentive, advanced financial support and there is still no established quality index that allows comparison between locations, becoming barriers to effective implementation. Objective: To analyze the quality of hospital infection control programs in Brazil. Methodology: This study was developed in three stages: (1) integrative literature review; (2) construction and validation of a questionnaire to assess infection control programs; (3) cross-sectional study carried out in 114 hospital infection control services. The literature review included the LILACS, Web of Science, Scopus and SciELO databases, using the MeSH descriptors: Hospital Infection Control Program, Cross Infection, Quality of Health Care and Infection Control. For the validation of the instrument's psychometric properties, categorization was performed according to the structure, process and result components. The epidemiological study was carried out in infection control services in the five regions of Brazil, with data collection conducted between November 2018 and January 2019. The Infection Control Programs Quality Index (IQPCI in Portuguese) was elaborated through Principal Component Analysis applied to the sampling correlation matrix of the variables. The IQPCI ranges of values and the respective quality categories were defined. Non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test was chosen to compare the scores obtained and the accepted significance level was 0.05. Statistical analyzes were performed using Epi Info version 6.0 and IBM® SPSS version 27 software. Results: Step 1: Integrative review: a final sample of 10 published articles was obtained, mainly in Scopus (60%) and Web of Science (30%). It was observed that the structural elements varied between the countries studied, suggesting the need for organizational and human resources improvement. Step 2: The questionnaire presented a content validity index with a mean of 0.902 (±0.076) and good internal consistency of the items (Cronbach's alpha test = 0.82), having been used in the five Brazilian regions. Step 3: The best quality index of infection control programs was identified in the South region (p=0.02), in hospitals with 300 beds or more (p<0.01), in those using the National Healthcare criteria Safety Network for surveillance of infections (p<0.01) and in places that performed prospective active search as a surveillance method (p<0.01). Conclusion: The integrative literature review showed the need for investments in the structure, process and result components. The psychometric properties of the instrument have been validated and can be used efficiently and reliably at the national level. The results reinforced that the Infection Control Programs has diversified actions in the context of healthcare associated infections prevention and control. For this reason, the quality of infection control programs is related to the region of Brazil, the number of beds and the method adopted for surveillance of infections.

Diagnostic anticipation to reduce emergency department length of stay: a retrospective cohort study in Ferrara University hospital, Italy.

BACKGROUND: Emergency Department (ED) crowding reduces staff satisfaction and healthcare quality and safety, which in turn increase costs. Despite a number of proposed solutions, ED length of stay (LOS) - a main cause of overcrowding - remains a major issue worldwide. This retrospective cohort study was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness on ED LOS of a procedure called "Diagnostic Anticipation" (DA), which consisted in anticipating the ordering of blood tests by nurses, at triage, following a diagnostic algorithm approved by physicians. METHODS: In the second half of 2019, the ED of the University Hospital of Ferrara, Italy, adopted the DA protocol on alternate weeks for all patients with chest pain, abdominal pain, and non-traumatic bleeding. A retrospective cohort study on DA impact was conducted. Using ED electronic data, LOS independent predictors (age, sex, NEDOCS and Priority Color Code, imaging tests, specialistic consultations, hospital admission) were evaluated through multiple regression. RESULTS: During the weeks when DA was adopted, as compared to control weeks, the mean LOS was shorter by 18.2 min for chest pain, but longer by 15.7 min for abdominal pain, and 33.3 for non-traumatic bleeding. At multivariate analysis, adjusting for age, gender, triage priority, specialist consultations, imaging test, hospitalization and ED crowding, the difference in visit time was significant for chest pain only (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The impact of DA varied by patients' condition, being significant for chest pain only. Further research is needed before the implementation, estimating the potential proportion of inappropriate blood tests and ED crowding status.

How to decide adequately? Qualitative study of GPs' view on decision-making in self-referred and physician-referred emergency department consultations in Berlin, Germany.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with acute symptoms present not only to general practitioners (GPs), but also frequently to emergency departments (EDs). Patients' decision processes leading up to an ED self-referral are complex and supposed to result from a multitude of determinants. While they are key providers in primary care, little is known about GPs' perception of such patients. This qualitative study explores the GPs' view regarding motives and competences of patients self-referring to EDs, and also GPs' rationale for or against physician-initiated ED referrals. DESIGN: Qualitative study with semi-structured, face-to-face interviews; qualitative content analysis. SETTING: GP practices in Berlin, Germany. PARTICIPANTS: 15 GPs (female/male: 9/6; mean age 53.6 years). RESULTS: The interviewed GPs related a wide spectrum of factors potentially influencing their patients' decision to visit an ED, and also their own decision-making in potential referrals. Considerations go beyond medical urgency. Statements concerning patients' surmised rationale corresponded to GPs' reasoning in a variety of important areas. For one thing, the timely availability of an extended spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic options may make ED services attractive to both. Access difficulties in the ambulatory setting were mentioned as additional triggers for an ED visit initiated by a patient or a GP. Key patient factors like severity of symptoms and anxiety also play a major role; a desire for reassurance may lead to both self-referred and physician-initiated ED visits. Patients' health competence was prevailingly depicted as limited, with the internet as an important influencing factor. Counselling efforts by GP were described as crucial for improving health literacy. CONCLUSIONS: Health education could hold promise when aiming to reduce non-urgent ED consultations. Primary care providers are in a key position here. Amelioration of organisational shortages in ambulatory care, for example, limited consultation hours, might also make an important impact, as these trigger both self-referrals and GP-initiated ED referrals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00011930.

Increased Healthcare Utilization by Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Covered by Medicaid at a Tertiary Care Center.

BACKGROUND: Low socioeconomic status has been linked with numerous poor health outcomes, but data are limited regarding the impact of insurance status on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) outcomes. We aimed to characterize utilization of healthcare resources by IBD patients based on health insurance status, using Medicaid enrollment as a proxy for low socioeconomic status. METHODS: We retrospectively identified adult patients with IBD engaged in a colorectal cancer surveillance colonoscopy program from July 2007 to June 2017. Our primary outcomes included emergency department (ED) visits, inpatient hospitalizations, biologic infusions, and steroid exposure, stratified by insurance status. We compared patients who had ever been enrolled in Medicaid with all other patients. RESULTS: Of 947 patients with IBD, 221 (23%) had been enrolled in Medicaid. Compared with patients with other insurance types, patients with Medicaid had higher rates of ever being admitted to the hospital (77.6% vs 42.6%, P < 0.0001) or visiting the ED (90.5% vs 38.4%, P < 0.0001). When adjusted for sex, age at first colonoscopy, and ethnicity, patients with Medicaid had a higher rate of inpatient hospitalizations (Rate ratio [RR] 2.95; 95% CI 2.59-3.36) and ED visits (RR 4.24; 95% CI 3.82-4.70) compared to patients with other insurance. Patients with Medicaid had significantly higher prevalence of requiring steroids (62.4% vs 37.7%, P < 0.0001), and after adjusting for the same factors, the odds of requiring steroids in the patients with Medicaid was increased (OR 3.77; 95% CI 2.53-5.62). CONCLUSIONS: Medicaid insurance was a significant predictor of IBD care and outcomes. Patients with Medicaid may have less engagement in IBD care and seek emergency care more often.

Iniciativas para consolidación de la investigación en políticas y sistemas de salud en enfermería / Initiatives for Strengthening Research on Health Policies and Systems in Nursing

RESUMEN Introducción: Las particularidades de la investigación en políticas y sistemas de salud han incidido en su lenta asunción como generadora de evidencias de los sistemas de salud. Por ello ha requerido de iniciativas que contribuyan con su desarrollo y consolidación. Objetivo: Describir algunas variantes para el desarrollo de la investigación en políticas y sistemas de salud en general, y en enfermería, en particular. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica descriptiva de artículos científicos, informes anuales y documentos rectores de la Alianza para las investigaciones en políticas y sistemas de salud en el periodo 2001-2015 en idioma español e inglés. Se sistematizó la información y se integró la evidencia científica obtenida de los resultados de un proyecto nacional realizado en Cuba entre los años 2008-2012. Resultados: El establecimiento de instituciones que lideren su realización, la identificación de profesionales con experiencia en este tipo de estudio, la generación de espacios de sinergia para el trabajo entre investigadores y decisores, la utilización de vías no tradicionales de divulgación de resultados y el incremento y priorización de la asignación de financiación son algunas de las iniciativas generales para la consolidación de este tipo de estudio. La identificación y desarrollo de capacidades en diferentes niveles forma parte de las propuestas que se describen para enfermería. Conclusiones: La identificación de variantes para el desarrollo de las investigaciones en políticas y sistemas de salud favorece su consolidación en los diferentes contextos donde se insertan los profesionales de enfermería. Conocerlas permite su aprovechamiento por este grupo de práctica(AU)

ABSTRACT Introduction: The particularities of research in health policies and systems have influenced the slow assumption as a generator of health system evidence. Therefore, initiatives are required that contribute to its development and consolidation. Objective: To describe some variables for the development of research on health policies and systems in nursing. Methods: A descriptive bibliographical review was carried out with scientific articles, annual reports and guiding documents of the alliance for research in health policies and systems in the period 2001-2015 in Spanish and English. The information was systematized and the scientific evidence obtained from the results of a national project carried out in Cuba between the years 2008-2012 was integrated. Results: The establishment of institutions that lead its implementation, the identification of professionals with experience in this type of study, the generation of synergy spaces for the work among researchers and decision-makers, the use of non-traditional ways for disseminating results, and the increase and prioritization of funding allocation are some of the general initiatives for the consolidation of this type of study. The identification and development of skills at different levels is part of the proposals described for nursing. Conclusions: The identification of variables for the development of research in health policies and systems favors their consolidation in the different contexts where nursing professionals are inserted. Knowing them allows their use by this group of practice(AU)

Reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections through Lean Six Sigma: The case of the medicine areas at the Federico II University Hospital in Naples (Italy).

RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES: Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has been recognized as an effective management tool for improving healthcare performance. Here, LSS was adopted to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), a critical quality parameter in the healthcare sector. METHODS: Lean Six Sigma was applied to the areas of clinical medicine (including general medicine, pulmonology, oncology, nephrology, cardiology, neurology, gastroenterology, rheumatology, and diabetology), and data regarding HAIs were collected for 28,000 patients hospitalized between January 2011 and December 2016. Following the LSS define, measure, analyse, improve, and control cycle, the factors influencing the risk of HAI were identified by using typical LSS tools (statistical analyses, brainstorming sessions, and cause-effect diagrams). Finally, corrective measures to prevent HAIs were implemented and monitored for 1 year after implementation. RESULTS: Lean Six Sigma proved to be a useful tool for identifying variables affecting the risk of HAIs and implementing corrective actions to improve the performance of the care process. A reduction in the number of patients colonized by sentinel bacteria was achieved after the improvement phase. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of an LSS approach could significantly decrease the percentage of patients with HAIs.

Regional Variation in Primary Care Involvement at the End of Life.

PURPOSE: Variation in end-of-life care in the United States is frequently driven by the health care system. We assessed the association of primary care physician involvement at the end of life with end-of-life care patterns. METHODS: We analyzed 2010 Medicare Part B claims data for US hospital referral regions (HRRs). The independent variable was the ratio of primary care physicians to specialist visits in the last 6 months of life. Dependent variables included the rate of hospital deaths, hospital and intensive care use in the last 6 months of life, percentage of patients seen by more than 10 physicians, and Medicare spending in the last 2 years of life. Robust linear regression analysis was used to measure the association of primary care physician involvement at the end of life with the outcome variables, adjusting for regional characteristics. RESULTS: We assessed 306 HRRs, capturing 1,107,702 Medicare Part B beneficiaries with chronic disease who died. The interquartile range of the HRR ratio of primary care to specialist end-of-life visits was 0.77 to 1.21. HRRs with high vs low primary care physician involvement at the end of life had significantly different patient, population, and health system characteristics. Adjusting for these differences, HRRs with the greatest primary care physician involvement had lower Medicare spending in the last 2 years of life ($65,160 vs $69,030; P = .003) and fewer intensive care unit days in the last 6 months of life (2.90 vs 4.29; P <.001), but also less hospice enrollment (44.5% of decedents vs 50.4%; P = .004). CONCLUSIONS: Regions with greater primary care physician involvement in end-of-life care have overall less intensive end-of-life care.

Barreras de acceso a los servicios de salud: narrativas de mujeres con cáncer de mama enColombia / Barriers to healthcare access: narratives of women with breast cancer in Colombia

Objetivo: explorar la existencia de barreras de acceso a losservicios de salud en las historias de mujeres con cáncer demama, que han recibido apoyo de seis ong colombianas.Metodología: se llevó a cabo un estudio cualitativodescriptivo interpretativo, en cinco ciudades colombianas:Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Valledupar y Santa Marta, incluyendo44 mujeres apoyadas por seis ong. Se realizaron gruposfocales y entrevistas en profundidad. Resultados: en elproceso emergieron cuatro categorías: barreras ligadas alos determinantes estructurales, barreras originadas en losdeterminantes intermedios, herramientas para enfrentar lasbarreras y una categoría que hace referencia a la oportunidadde obtener un diagnóstico y un tratamiento de cáncer de mama.A partir de estas categorías, se propone un modelo de barrerasde acceso en cáncer de mama, desde la perspectiva de losdeterminantes sociales. Discusión: a pesar de los esfuerzos delpaís por mejorar la oportunidad en prevención, diagnóstico ytratamiento del cáncer ùincluyendo la promulgación de la ley1384 de 2010 (Ley Sandra Ceballos)ù, las mujeres con cáncerde mama enfrentan barreras de acceso a los servicios de salud,que están determinadas socialmente, y frente a las cuales elsistema muestra cierto nivel de incapacidad...

Objective: to explore the existence of barriers to healthcareaccess in the narratives of women with breast cancer who havereceived the support of six Colombian NGOs. Methodology:a descriptive qualitative interpretive study was carried out infive Colombian cities: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Santa Martaand Valledupar. Data was collected through focus groups andinterviews with 44 women supported by six NGOs. Results:in the process, four categories emerged: barriers linked to structural determinants, barriers arising from intermediatedeterminants, tools to address barriers and a category referring tothe opportunity for diagnosis and breast cancer treatment. Fromthese categories, a model of barriers preventing access to breastcancer-related healthcare is proposed from the perspective ofsocial determinants. Discussion: despite the Country's efforts toimprove the opportunity for prevention, diagnosis and treatmentof cancer -including the enactment of Act 1384 of 2010 (SandraCeballos Act)- women with breast cancer face barriers tohealthcare access which are socially determined and againstwhich the system shows some degree of inability...