Using Hospital Records to Estimate Cancer Incidence
Author Information
Author(s): Moyra E Brackley, Margaret J Penning, Mary L Lesperance
Primary Institution: University of Victoria
Hypothesis
Can first hospitalisation act as a proxy measure for cancer incidence in the absence of registry data?
Conclusion
First hospital separation may be considered a proxy for incidence with reference to colorectal cancer since 1995.
Supporting Evidence
- First hospitalisation counts consistently overestimate registry incidence counts.
- Sensitivity for colorectal cancer is 84.2%, indicating a strong correlation.
- Kappa values for agreement between hospital and registry data are consistently high.
Takeaway
The study looks at whether hospital records can help us understand how many people get cancer when we don't have complete data. It finds that for colorectal cancer, hospital records can be a good estimate.
Methodology
Data were drawn from the British Columbia Linked Health Data resource, including hospital records and cancer registry data from 1990 to 1999.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to missing data and reliance on hospital records.
Limitations
The study did not have access to an independent gold standard for validation.
Participant Demographics
Data represents individuals from the Vancouver Island Health Authority in British Columbia.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.42 for lung cancer, p = 0.56 for colorectal cancer
Statistical Significance
p = 0.42 for lung cancer, p = 0.56 for colorectal cancer
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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