Europeans are fair-skinned, and their exposure to UV radiation causes skin cancers. The patients who get this disease have to go through a painful journey. From diagnosis to treatment, they come across various obstacles. This study investigates the inadequacies in European skin cancer healthcare.
Adequate medical screening is essential to treat skin cancer among Europeans. The objective of this study is to explore the health system differences. The inequalities, inequities, obstacles, and difficulties come under the spotlight. Finland, Greece, Italy, Malta, Germany, Poland, Romania, Netherlands, Spain, and the UK participated in this study, and the researchers used questionnaires for country-wise inquiries. The data comprised of total dermatologists, waiting times, referral pathways, treatment costs, and reimbursements.
Health insurance, challenges, self-medication, and drug purchasing capacity got assessed and compared.
The available dermatologists ranged from 1 to 11.4. Only Greeks and Polish had direct access, whereas the others had to go through different referral methods. Malta and Poland lagged in dermatological tools. Access to drugs and treatments were very different in many countries. The cost of a cream ranged between 20 to 54 Euros, and the surgical follow-up routines were either none or ranged between 3 to 6 months. There are significant differences in skin cancer management, costs, and ease of access.
The healthcare disparities and inequalities in European nations are explicit. Further studies are essential to improve the quality of skin cancer treatment and reduce mortality rates.
Ref: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2012.11086.x
