Mumbai: February 4 is observed as World Cancer Day to raise public awareness about the life-threatening disease. With the same objective, the Fortis Hospital recently conducted a survey of 4,350 Mumbaikars. According to the study, 81% respondents feared of being diagnosed with cancer and hence procrastinated diagnosis which was a major challenge associated with early screening.
Need of the hour: Closing the care gap
The survey also focused on various preventive and curative aspects of the life-threatening disease which include knowing about cancer, challenges faced by patients during Covid, need for insurance and access to better healthcare. The study findings primarily echo the global theme of Cancer care i.e. ‘closing the care gap’ – which is the need of the hour.
Dr S Narayani, Business Head of the Fortis Hospitals, Maharashtra, who spearheaded this survey said, “The fear of the disease keeps individuals from undergoing testing, resulting in delayed diagnoses and reducing the opportunity for treatment and better outcomes.” He pledged that Fortis will continue to help bridge this gap by conducting awareness sessions and organising screening camps.
Focus must be on non-metro geographies
Dr Boman Dhabhar, Senior Consultant-Medical Oncology, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, said that 28% of respondents highlighted the need to build public awareness, 26% asked for affordable care and 15% asserted that cancer care should be made accessible across all geographies. “Every governing body, healthcare entity, and support groups (like NGOs) must focus all efforts towards bringing quality healthcare to non-metro geographies where access continues to remain a challenge. Better access will lead to better screening, early diagnosis and prompt intervention,” he said.
Dr Suresh Advani, Senior Consultant-Medical Oncology, SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim – A Fortis Associate, said understanding the recurrence pattern of cancer is equally important as early screening. It is also important to note that along with making healthy lifestyle choices people should opt for vaccinations that could help prevent certain cancers, he added. Worryingly, the survey found that 16% of respondents felt that vaccinations played no role in cancer prevention and 36% of respondents were unaware that vaccines to prevent cancer existed.
Need to strengthen the support ecosystem
Another major point of concern discovered during the study was that many aspects of this support ecosystem remain missing. 30% of respondents felt that more could be done in terms of mental health support, 27% talked about strengthening finance and insurance-related support while 10% sought better access to support groups.
Dr Harshit Shah, Consultant-OncoSurgery, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan said, “A key survey finding highlights the fact that 59% patients don't discuss their health concerns with their family, co-workers, friends, etc, while the other 30% lack mental health support.” Cancer not only takes a toll on one’s body but also on their mental and emotional state. Patients under treatment witness a drastic change in their appearance; hair loss, weight loss etc. This makes them lose confidence, pushing them into isolation. Hence, both the patients and their caregivers must openly talk about these concerns and seek a counsellor's support to help lead a near-normal life, he said.
