Researchers at Khon Kaen University Describe Findings in Colon Cancer (Health Insurance and Colorectal Cancer Survival in Khon Kaen, Thailand)

2019 JUL 05 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Research findings on Oncology - Colon Cancer are discussed in a new report. According to news reporting originating from Khon Kaen, Thailand, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Evidence from healthcare studies demonstrates that patients’ health insurance affects service
accessibility and the outcome of treatment. However, assessment on how colorectal cancer survival relates to health
insurance is limited.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from Khon Kaen University, “The study examined the association between health insurance and colorectal cancer
survival in Khon Kaen, Thailand. The retrospective cohort study was conducted with 1,931 colorectal cancer
patients from Khon Kaen cancer registry between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2012, and was followed-up until
December 31, 2015. Relative survival was used to estimate the survival rate. Cox proportional hazard regression was
used to estimate the relationship between health insurance and colorectal cancer survival, represented with the hazard
ratio. Most of the participants were males, and the median age was 62 years. The median survival time was
2.25 years (95% CI: 2.00-2.51). The five-year observed survival rate and relative survival rate were 36.87 (95% CI:
34.66-39.08) and, 42.28 (95% CI: 39.75-44.81), respectively. The factors that showed significant associations with
poorer survival after adjustment for gender and age were non-surgical treatments (HRadj=1.88;95%CI=1.45-2.45),
advanced stage (III+IV) (HRadj=2.50; 95%CI=2.00-3.12), histological grading in poorly differentiated (HRadj=1.84;
95%CI=1.32-2.56), and Universal Coverage Scheme (HRadj=1.37;95%CI=1.09-1.72). The survival of
colorectal cancer patients in the Universal Coverage Scheme was likely to be poorer than in the Civil Servant Medical
Benefit Scheme.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “This indicates an urgent need for a national program for colorectal cancer screening in the general
population and access to health insurance.”

For more information on this research see: Health Insurance and Colorectal Cancer Survival in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 2019;20(6):1797-1802.

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting S. Phimha, Doctor of Philosophy Program in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand. Additional authors for this research include S. Promthet, K. Suwanrungruang, J. Chindaprasirt, P. Bouphan, C. Santong and P. Vatanasapt.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.31557/apjcp.2019.20.6.1797. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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