Sociodemographic Factors Affecting Patient Presentation in Neuro-Oncology
Author Information
Author(s): Maria A. Punchak, Jose Alfonso Alvarez-Castro, Jonathan Ramos Escalante, Keren Magaly Aguilar Hidalgo, Mauricio Macias Zamarripa, Xymena Dominguez Navarrete, Fernando Castro Soto, Mackenzie Castellanos, Sergio Moreno-Jiménez, Michael T. Lawton, Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, Sonia Iliana Mejía Pérez
Primary Institution: Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City, Mexico
Hypothesis
Lower education status, lower income, higher number of dependents and greater distance to INNN would be associated with more severe clinical presentations.
Conclusion
Certain sociodemographic factors are associated with more severe clinical presentation among surgical neuro-oncology patients.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients with a higher number of dependents had longer symptom duration.
- Divorced/separated patients were more likely to present with larger tumors.
- Being a primary provider was associated with smaller tumor volumes.
- Higher average monthly income was linked to decreased odds of presenting with larger tumors.
Takeaway
This study found that things like how much money people make and how many family members they take care of can affect how sick they are when they go to the doctor for brain surgery.
Methodology
A retrospective study reviewing electronic medical records of surgical neuro-oncology patients from January 1 to December 31, 2022.
Potential Biases
Recall bias may affect the accuracy of symptom duration reported.
Limitations
The study is limited by its retrospective design and potential recall bias, and findings may not be generalizable to rural populations.
Participant Demographics
Median age was 48 years, 60.1% were female, and 29.2% were primary providers for their families.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.01 for number of dependents and symptom duration; 0.04 for marital status and tumor volume.
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.06–1.35 for number of dependents; 95% CI: 1.04–9.31 for divorced/separated status.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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