Geographic pattern of hospital selection among cancer inpatients in Japan: A focus on secondary healthcare service areas and designated regional cancer hospitals

[Nihon kōshū eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health
Hirokazu Tanaka, Kota Katanoda

Abstract

This study aimed to reveal the geographic pattern of hospital selection among cancer inpatients in Japan, focusing on the existence of designated regional cancer hospitals (DRCHs) in the secondary healthcare service areas (SHSAs) of patients' residence. We combined the individual data from the Patient Survey and Survey of Medical Institutions carried out by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, in 2011, and added information about SHSAs and DRCHs to the combined data set. We categorized the inpatients' hospital selection into four patterns: within the municipality they lived in, out of the municipality but within the SHSA they lived in, out of the SHSA but within the prefecture they lived in, and out of the prefecture they lived in. Additionally, we categorized the location of the cancer inpatients' residence into two groups: living in an SHSA with a DRCH, or living in an SHSA without a DRCH. Subsequently, we descriptively analyzed the relationship between the hospital selection pattern and geographical area where the patients lived. In addition to cancer, the analyzed disease groups included all-cause diseases, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases. The estimated number of cancer inpatients was 132,700, 4...Continue Reading

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