Association of Distance to Gynecologic Oncologist and Survival in a Rural Midwestern State

Abstract

Objectives: Rural ovarian cancer patients experience worse survival compared to urban patients. We assessed whether distance to gynecologic oncology specialists was associated with survival for patients in a rural state. Methods: Demographic, tumor, and treatment characteristics were extracted from the Iowa Cancer Registry for patients diagnosed between 1990 and 2018. Data were linked to the county-level 2018–2019 Area Health Resource File (number of surgeons and hospital beds per 100,000 population). Rurality was defined using 2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes; distance to the nearest gynecologic oncologist was calculated from the centroid of the county of residence to the centroid of the nearest county with a high volume health care center with a gynecologic oncologist. Associations with survival were assessed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Analyses included 1,562 ovarian cancer patients. Mean distance to gynecologic oncology was 60.8 miles, and median survival was 23 months. Unadjusted models showed increased distance from gynecologic oncology had progressively greater risk of death 30–49 miles (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.09, confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–1.15), 50–69 miles (HR = 1.19, CI: 1.07–1.32), 70+ miles (HR = 1.30, CI: 1.11–1.51). In adjusted models, association of distance to gynecologic oncology with risk of death was not significant; however, more advanced cancer stage and age, unmarried status, and higher county-level poverty were independently associated with increased risk of death. Conclusions: Above and beyond demographics and stage, distance to gynecologic oncology care was not an independent predictor of ovarian cancer survival. Further studies are needed to determine how to mitigate the factors contributing to worsened ovarian cancer survival among rural patients.

American Indian and Alaskan Native Access to Obstetrics and Gynecology Subspecialists: Findings From a National Mystery Caller Study in the United States

“…Small differences in distance can affect access to obstetric and gynecologic care [ 19 ]. For example, models demonstrate that those who live further from a gynecologic oncologist have a significantly greater risk of death than those who live less than 30 miles from a gynecologic oncologist [ 20 ]. Insurance may pose an additional barrier for AI/AN patients who can commute to these distant clinics because of the abovementioned challenges with approval and payment for IHS PRC referrals for specialty care.…”