New Zealand
Patients diagnosed with lung cancer after ED visits tend to have later stage disease and poorer outcomes compared to those diagnosed after a GP referral—and a Waikato-based study now shows that Māori and men are more likely to be diagnosed after ED visits. Researchers looked at nearly 2400 lung cancer diagnoses in Waikato from 2011-2021, finding that almost 40% of lung cancer patients attended an ED within two weeks before diagnosis. Diagnosis after ED attendance was 27% higher for Māori than non-Māori and 22% higher for men than women, after adjusting for other factors. The study authors say barriers to early diagnoses through GP visits, particularly for Māori and for men, need to be addressed.
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About 40% of lung cancer patients attended the emergency department (ED) before their diagnosis, and these patients often had more advanced stages of the disease. In contrast, those who were diagnosed through their general practitioners (GPs) were found to have earlier-stage lung cancer and consequently had better survival. Māori were more likely than non-Māori to be diagnosed with lung cancer after attending the ED, indicating a disparity in the diagnostic pathway.
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