Variations in Emergency Service Utilization among Cancer Survivors: Results from the Pan-Canadian Experiences of Cancer Patients in Transition Study Survey
Table 1
Personal and clinical characteristics of cancer survivors included in and excluded from our study population.
Characteristic
Total
Excluded
Included
value
N = 13,319
N = 7,545
N = 5,774
Sex
<0.001
Male
48.1 (6,411)
50.0 (3,770)
45.7 (2,641)
Female
51.2 (6,820)
48.9 (3,687)
54.3 (3,133)
Missing
0.7 (88)
1.2 (88)
0.0 (0)
Age at diagnosis
<0.001
18–44
7.0 (927)
7.2 (540)
6.7 (387)
45–64
32.7 (4,356)
26.7 (2,017)
40.5 (2,339)
≥65
59.9 (7,975)
65.3 (4,927)
52.8 (3,048)
Missing
0.5 (61)
0.8 (61)
0.0 (0)
Marital status
<0.001
Single
7.2 (962)
7.7 (581)
6.6 (381)
Married/partnered
72.8 (9,701)
70.2 (5,295)
76.3 (4,406)
Divorced/separated/widowed
18.8 (2,500)
20.5 (1,550)
16.5 (950)
Prefer not to answer
1.2 (156)
1.6 (119)
0.6 (37)
Coping with challenges
<0.001
Very easy/easy
59.9 (7,976)
57.5 (4,335)
63.1 (3,641)
Neither easy nor hard
31.6 (4,211)
32.9 (2,484)
29.9 (1,727)
Hard/very hard
7.4 (984)
7.9 (599)
6.7 (385)
Missing
1.1 (148)
1.7 (127)
0.4 (21)
Sharing worries
<0.001
Very easy/easy
49.4 (6,585)
48.7 (3,678)
50.3 (2,907)
Neither easy nor hard
29.4 (3,922)
29.7 (2,242)
29.1 (1,680)
Hard/very hard
19.5 (2,598)
19.1 (1,438)
20.1 (1,160)
Missing
1.6 (214)
2.5 (187)
0.5 (27)
Asking questions
<0.001
Very easy/easy
72.7 (9,683)
71.2 (5,371)
74.7 (4,312)
Neither easy nor hard
18.5 (2,460)
18.5 (1,399)
18.4 (1,061)
Hard/very hard
7.2 (958)
7.6 (577)
6.6 (381)
Missing
1.6 (218)
2.6 (198)
0.3 (20)
Current insurance
<0.001
Government-sponsored
21.7 (2,894)
23.1 (1,744)
19.9 (1,150)
Private
43.2 (5,750)
37.5 (2,829)
50.6 (2,921)
No insurance
15.3 (2,039)
16.5 (1,242)
13.8 (797)
No response/other
19.8 (2,636)
22.9 (1,730)
15.7 (906)
Born in Canada
<0.001
Yes
82.3 (10,955)
80.3 (6,058)
84.8 (4,897)
No
15.2 (2,022)
15.9 (1,197)
14.3 (825)
Prefer not to answer
2.6 (342)
3.8 (290)
0.9 (52)
Language most spoken at home
<0.001
English
72.5 (9,655)
68.5 (5,171)
77.7 (4,484)
French
21.4 (2,846)
23.9 (1,806)
18.0 (1,040)
Other
6.1 (818)
7.5 (568)
4.3 (250)
Highest level of education
<0.001
≤High school diploma
36.7 (4,886)
40.7 (3,070)
31.5 (1,816)
<University degree
34.9 (4,650)
33.0 (2,493)
37.4 (2,157)
University degree
24.4 (3,244)
20.6 (1,558)
29.2 (1,686)
No response
4.0 (539)
5.6 (424)
2.0 (115)
Population density
<0.001
≤10,000 people
34.9 (4,646)
34.8 (2,627)
35.0 (2,019)
10,000 to 50,000 people
17.4 (2,316)
18.2 (1,370)
16.4 (946)
>50,000 people
44.6 (5,937)
42.4 (3,197)
47.5 (2,740)
No response
3.2 (420)
4.7 (351)
1.2 (69)
Employment
<0.001
Full- or part-time
28.2 (3,753)
23.4 (1,767)
34.4 (1,986)
Sick leave/disability/unemployed
5.4 (714)
5.3 (398)
5.5 (316)
Retired
59.4 (7,907)
62.3 (4,703)
55.5 (3,204)
No response/other
7.1 (945)
9.0 (677)
4.6 (268)
Income
<0.001
≤$25,000
12.8 (1,708)
15.0 (1,129)
10.0 (579)
$25,000 to <$50,000
23.2 (3,090)
24.3 (1,832)
21.8 (1,258)
$50,000 to <$75,000
16.1 (2,149)
15.3 (1,155)
17.2 (994)
≥$75,000
24.3 (3,240)
18.9 (1,425)
31.4 (1,815)
Prefer not to answer
23.5 (3,132)
26.6 (2,004)
19.5 (1,128)
Overall quality of life
<0.001
Very poor/poor/fair
17.5 (2,326)
20.1 (1,517)
14.0 (809)
Good/very good
82.0 (10,919)
79.2 (5,976)
85.6 (4,943)
Missing
0.6 (74)
0.7 (52)
0.4 (22)
Physical health
<0.001
Very poor/poor/fair
25.7 (3,420)
28.6 (2,159)
21.8 (1,261)
Good/very good
73.8 (9,828)
70.5 (5,322)
78.0 (4,506)
Missing
0.5 (71)
0.8 (64)
0.1 (7)
Emotional health
<0.001
Very poor/poor/fair
21.2 (2,818)
22.8 (1,723)
19.0 (1,095)
Good/very good
74.2 (9,878)
71.2 (5,375)
78.0 (4,503)
Missing
4.7 (623)
5.9 (447)
3.0 (176)
Unmet practical concern
<0.001
No
67.0 (8,928)
70.3 (5,305)
62.7 (3,623)
Yes
33.0 (4,391)
29.7 (2,240)
37.3 (2,151)
Unmet emotional concern
<0.001
No
37.0 (4,928)
41.6 (3,135)
31.1 (1,793)
Yes
63.0 (8,391)
58.4 (4,410)
68.9 (3,981)
Unmet physical concern
<0.001
No
40.3 (5,361)
44.9 (3,389)
34.2 (1,972)
Yes
59.7 (7,958)
55.1 (4,156)
65.8 (3,802)
Number of comorbidities
<0.001
None
35.4 (4,718)
32.8 (2,478)
38.8 (2,240)
1-2
56.1 (7,468)
58.0 (4,377)
53.5 (3,091)
≥3
8.5 (1,133)
9.1 (690)
7.7 (443)
Cancer type
<0.001
Breast
27.5 (3,665)
21.8 (1,643)
35.0 (2,022)
Hematologic
8.5 (1,129)
7.3 (548)
10.1 (581)
Colorectal
18.5 (2,459)
17.2 (1,296)
20.1 (1,163)
Melanoma
10.8 (1,445)
11.0 (827)
10.7 (618)
Prostate
22.7 (3,018)
21.6 (1,628)
24.1 (1,390)
Other
5.4 (723)
9.6 (723)
0.0 (0)
Missing
6.6 (880)
11.7 (880)
0.0 (0)
Year of cancer diagnosis
<0.001
≤2012
26.7 (3,550)
26.9 (2,029)
26.3 (1,521)
2013
43.2 (5,749)
39.7 (2,995)
47.7 (2,754)
≥2014
25.0 (3,325)
24.2 (1,826)
26.0 (1,499)
Missing
5.2 (695)
9.2 (695)
0.0 (0)
Surgery
<0.001
No
34.4 (4,579)
38.9 (2,936)
28.5 (1,643)
Yes
65.6 (8,740)
61.1 (4,609)
71.5 (4,131)
Radiotherapy
<0.001
No
56.8 (7,565)
61.4 (4,630)
50.8 (2,935)
Yes
43.2 (5,754)
38.6 (2,915)
49.2 (2,839)
Systemic therapy
<0.001
No
25.7 (3,422)
30.4 (2,291)
19.6 (1,131)
Yes
74.3 (9,897)
69.6 (5,254)
80.4 (4,643)
Time of last treatment
<0.001
<1 year ago
11.3 (1,507)
13.2 (995)
8.9 (512)
1–3 years ago
46.0 (6,133)
39.7 (2,994)
54.4 (3,139)
3–5 years ago
23.0 (3,060)
20.0 (1,508)
26.9 (1,552)
>5 years ago
1.4 (191)
2.5 (191)
0.0 (0)
No treatment
14.3 (1,906)
17.7 (1,335)
9.9 (571)
Missing
3.9 (522)
6.9 (522)
0.0 (0)
Currently receiving or received prescribed medication to prevent cancer recurrence
<0.001
No
69.6 (9,264)
69.6 (5,250)
69.5 (4,014)
Yes
25.5 (3,400)
22.9 (1,725)
29.0 (1,675)
Unsure/blank
4.9 (655)
7.6 (570)
1.5 (85)
Enrolled in a clinical trial
<0.001
Yes
9.8 (1,307)
9.2 (696)
10.6 (611)
No
83.3 (11,094)
81.4 (6,139)
85.8 (4,955)
No response
6.9 (918)
9.4 (710)
3.6 (208)
Times visit/speak in first 12 months—emergency room/urgent care
<0.001
None
47.7 (6,355)
24.3 (1,832)
78.3 (4,523)
1–3 times
11.0 (1,461)
7.3 (548)
15.8 (913)
>3 times
4.5 (604)
3.5 (266)
5.9 (338)
Do not remember/not applicable/missing
36.8 (4,899)
64.9 (4,899)
0.0 (0)
Times visit/speak in first 12 months—family doctor/practitioner
<0.001
Not at all
13.0 (1,726)
9.4 (707)
17.6 (1,019)
1–3 times
36.5 (4,864)
32.6 (2,463)
41.6 (2,401)
>3 times
34.7 (4,624)
33.8 (2,552)
35.9 (2,072)
Do not remember/not applicable/missing
15.8 (2,105)
24.2 (1,823)
4.9 (282)
Times visit/speak in first 12 months—oncologist/hematologist
<0.001
Not at all
6.3 (842)
4.1 (306)
9.3 (536)
1–3 times
35.6 (4,738)
32.6 (2,459)
39.5 (2,279)
>3 times
49.4 (6,580)
48.6 (3,669)
50.4 (2,911)
Do not remember/not applicable/missing
8.7 (1,159)
14.7 (1,111)
0.8 (48)
Healthcare provider in charge of follow-up cancer care
<0.001
PCP
21.2 (2,821)
19.6 (1,478)
23.3 (1,343)
Oncologist
41.1 (5,478)
40.5 (3,058)
41.9 (2,420)
Both
30.5 (4,059)
30.2 (2,276)
30.9 (1,783)
No one/unsure
7.2 (961)
9.7 (733)
3.9 (228)
PCP involvement in follow-up cancer care
<0.001
Not at all involved
12.1 (1,606)
11.2 (844)
13.2 (762)
Not very involved/somewhat involved
49.7 (6,626)
45.9 (3,461)
54.8 (3,165)
Very involved
35.9 (4,777)
39.9 (3,014)
30.5 (1,763)
Missing
2.3 (310)
3.0 (226)
1.5 (84)
Care coordination among healthcare providers involved in follow-up cancer care
<0.001
Very good/good
62.2 (8,282)
61.5 (4,642)
63.0 (3,640)
Fair/poor/very poor
16.9 (2,249)
14.9 (1,127)
19.4 (1,122)
Missing
20.9 (2,788)
23.5 (1,776)
17.5 (1,012)
Received a care plan after cancer treatment
<0.001
Yes
36.5 (4,862)
34.2 (2,584)
39.5 (2,278)
No
38.4 (5,108)
34.4 (2,598)
43.5 (2,510)
Not applicable/blank
25.1 (3,349)
31.3 (2,363)
17.1 (986)
Received or saw a copy of medical records after cancer treatment
