Impact of rurality on processes and outcomes in melanoma care: results from a whole-Scotland melanoma cohort in primary and secondary care

Peter Murchie; Rosalind Adam; Wei L Khor; Edwin A Raja; Lisa Iversen; David H Brewster; Amanda J Lee

doi:10.3399/bjgp18X697901

Impact of rurality on processes and outcomes in melanoma care: results from a whole-Scotland melanoma cohort in primary and secondary care

Peter Murchie^* (Corresponding Author), Rosalind Adam, Wei L Khor, Edwin A Raja, Lisa Iversen, David H Brewster, Amanda J Lee

^*Corresponding author for this work

University of Edinburgh

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

3 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Those living in rural areas have poorer cancer outcomes, but current evidence on how rurality impacts melanoma care and survival is contradictory.

AIM: To investigate the impact of rurality on setting of melanoma excision and mortality in a whole-nation cohort.

DESIGN AND SETTING: Analysis of linked routine healthcare data comprising every individual in Scotland diagnosed with melanoma, January 2005-December 2013, in primary and secondary care.

METHOD: Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between rurality and setting of melanoma excision; Cox proportional hazards regression between rurality and mortality was used, with adjustments for key confounders.

RESULTS: In total 9519 patients were included (54.3% [n = 5167] female, mean age 60.2 years [SD 17.5]). Of melanomas where setting of excision was known, 90.3% (n = 8598) were in secondary care and 8.1% (n = 771) in primary care. Odds of primary care excision increased with increasing rurality/remoteness. Compared with those in urban areas, those in the most remote rural locations had almost twice the odds of melanoma excision in primary care (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.33 to 2.77). No significant association was found between urban or rural residency and all-cause mortality. Melanoma-specific mortality was significantly lower in individuals residing in accessible small towns than in large urban areas (adjusted hazards ratio [HR] 0.53; 95% CI = 0.33 to 0.87) with no trend towards poorer survival with increasing rurality.

CONCLUSION: Patients in Scottish rural locations were more likely to have a melanoma excised in primary care. However, those in rural areas did not have significantly increased mortality from melanoma. Together these findings suggest that current UK melanoma management guidelines could be revised to be more realistic by recognising the role of primary care in the prompt diagnosis and treatment of those in rural locations.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	566-575
Number of pages	10
Journal	The British Journal of General Practice
Volume	68
Issue number	673
Early online date	26 Jul 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp18X697901
Publication status	Published - Aug 2018

Bibliographical note

The project was funded by a grant from the Friends of Anchor (grant number RG12991-10). The funder had no role in writing the manuscript or deciding to submit for publication. No payment was received by any of the authors to write this article from any agency. The corresponding author had full access to all the data in the study and had final responsibility for deciding to submit this manuscript for publication.

Keywords

Journal Article
cancer
geography
melanoma
primary health care
rurality

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.3399/bjgp18X697901Licence: Unspecified

Accepted Manuscript
Author's manuscript as accepted for publication in BJGP.
Accepted author manuscript, 656 KBLicence: Other

Rosalind Adam
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, Applied Health Sciences - Senior Clinical Lecturer
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, Aberdeen Cancer Centre
Person: Clinical Academic

Cite this

@article{db59a85597984d47bfeeb76c7b031a9b,

title = "Impact of rurality on processes and outcomes in melanoma care: results from a whole-Scotland melanoma cohort in primary and secondary care",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Those living in rural areas have poorer cancer outcomes, but current evidence on how rurality impacts melanoma care and survival is contradictory.AIM: To investigate the impact of rurality on setting of melanoma excision and mortality in a whole-nation cohort.DESIGN AND SETTING: Analysis of linked routine healthcare data comprising every individual in Scotland diagnosed with melanoma, January 2005-December 2013, in primary and secondary care.METHOD: Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between rurality and setting of melanoma excision; Cox proportional hazards regression between rurality and mortality was used, with adjustments for key confounders.RESULTS: In total 9519 patients were included (54.3% [n = 5167] female, mean age 60.2 years [SD 17.5]). Of melanomas where setting of excision was known, 90.3% (n = 8598) were in secondary care and 8.1% (n = 771) in primary care. Odds of primary care excision increased with increasing rurality/remoteness. Compared with those in urban areas, those in the most remote rural locations had almost twice the odds of melanoma excision in primary care (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.33 to 2.77). No significant association was found between urban or rural residency and all-cause mortality. Melanoma-specific mortality was significantly lower in individuals residing in accessible small towns than in large urban areas (adjusted hazards ratio [HR] 0.53; 95% CI = 0.33 to 0.87) with no trend towards poorer survival with increasing rurality.CONCLUSION: Patients in Scottish rural locations were more likely to have a melanoma excised in primary care. However, those in rural areas did not have significantly increased mortality from melanoma. Together these findings suggest that current UK melanoma management guidelines could be revised to be more realistic by recognising the role of primary care in the prompt diagnosis and treatment of those in rural locations.",

keywords = "Journal Article, cancer, geography, melanoma, primary health care, rurality",

author = "Peter Murchie and Rosalind Adam and Khor, {Wei L} and Raja, {Edwin A} and Lisa Iversen and Brewster, {David H} and Lee, {Amanda J}",

note = "The project was funded by a grant from the Friends of Anchor (grant number RG12991-10). The funder had no role in writing the manuscript or deciding to submit for publication. No payment was received by any of the authors to write this article from any agency. The corresponding author had full access to all the data in the study and had final responsibility for deciding to submit this manuscript for publication.",

year = "2018",

month = aug,

doi = "10.3399/bjgp18X697901",

language = "English",

volume = "68",

pages = "566--575",

journal = "The British Journal of General Practice",

issn = "0960-1643",

publisher = "Royal College of General Practitioners",

number = "673",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of rurality on processes and outcomes in melanoma care

T2 - results from a whole-Scotland melanoma cohort in primary and secondary care

AU - Murchie, Peter

AU - Adam, Rosalind

AU - Khor, Wei L

AU - Raja, Edwin A

AU - Iversen, Lisa

AU - Brewster, David H

AU - Lee, Amanda J

N1 - The project was funded by a grant from the Friends of Anchor (grant number RG12991-10). The funder had no role in writing the manuscript or deciding to submit for publication. No payment was received by any of the authors to write this article from any agency. The corresponding author had full access to all the data in the study and had final responsibility for deciding to submit this manuscript for publication.

PY - 2018/8

Y1 - 2018/8

N2 - BACKGROUND: Those living in rural areas have poorer cancer outcomes, but current evidence on how rurality impacts melanoma care and survival is contradictory.AIM: To investigate the impact of rurality on setting of melanoma excision and mortality in a whole-nation cohort.DESIGN AND SETTING: Analysis of linked routine healthcare data comprising every individual in Scotland diagnosed with melanoma, January 2005-December 2013, in primary and secondary care.METHOD: Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between rurality and setting of melanoma excision; Cox proportional hazards regression between rurality and mortality was used, with adjustments for key confounders.RESULTS: In total 9519 patients were included (54.3% [n = 5167] female, mean age 60.2 years [SD 17.5]). Of melanomas where setting of excision was known, 90.3% (n = 8598) were in secondary care and 8.1% (n = 771) in primary care. Odds of primary care excision increased with increasing rurality/remoteness. Compared with those in urban areas, those in the most remote rural locations had almost twice the odds of melanoma excision in primary care (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.33 to 2.77). No significant association was found between urban or rural residency and all-cause mortality. Melanoma-specific mortality was significantly lower in individuals residing in accessible small towns than in large urban areas (adjusted hazards ratio [HR] 0.53; 95% CI = 0.33 to 0.87) with no trend towards poorer survival with increasing rurality.CONCLUSION: Patients in Scottish rural locations were more likely to have a melanoma excised in primary care. However, those in rural areas did not have significantly increased mortality from melanoma. Together these findings suggest that current UK melanoma management guidelines could be revised to be more realistic by recognising the role of primary care in the prompt diagnosis and treatment of those in rural locations.

AB - BACKGROUND: Those living in rural areas have poorer cancer outcomes, but current evidence on how rurality impacts melanoma care and survival is contradictory.AIM: To investigate the impact of rurality on setting of melanoma excision and mortality in a whole-nation cohort.DESIGN AND SETTING: Analysis of linked routine healthcare data comprising every individual in Scotland diagnosed with melanoma, January 2005-December 2013, in primary and secondary care.METHOD: Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between rurality and setting of melanoma excision; Cox proportional hazards regression between rurality and mortality was used, with adjustments for key confounders.RESULTS: In total 9519 patients were included (54.3% [n = 5167] female, mean age 60.2 years [SD 17.5]). Of melanomas where setting of excision was known, 90.3% (n = 8598) were in secondary care and 8.1% (n = 771) in primary care. Odds of primary care excision increased with increasing rurality/remoteness. Compared with those in urban areas, those in the most remote rural locations had almost twice the odds of melanoma excision in primary care (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.33 to 2.77). No significant association was found between urban or rural residency and all-cause mortality. Melanoma-specific mortality was significantly lower in individuals residing in accessible small towns than in large urban areas (adjusted hazards ratio [HR] 0.53; 95% CI = 0.33 to 0.87) with no trend towards poorer survival with increasing rurality.CONCLUSION: Patients in Scottish rural locations were more likely to have a melanoma excised in primary care. However, those in rural areas did not have significantly increased mortality from melanoma. Together these findings suggest that current UK melanoma management guidelines could be revised to be more realistic by recognising the role of primary care in the prompt diagnosis and treatment of those in rural locations.

KW - Journal Article

KW - cancer

KW - geography

KW - melanoma

KW - primary health care

KW - rurality

U2 - 10.3399/bjgp18X697901

DO - 10.3399/bjgp18X697901

M3 - Article

C2 - 29914883

SN - 0960-1643

VL - 68

SP - 566

EP - 575

JO - The British Journal of General Practice

JF - The British Journal of General Practice

IS - 673

ER -

Impact of rurality on processes and outcomes in melanoma care: results from a whole-Scotland melanoma cohort in primary and secondary care

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Profiles

Rosalind Adam

Cite this