The treatment available in Portugal to cancer patients changes with health facilities and the money invested in the sector is not enough to always choose the most effective and advanced therapies. In addition, existing resources are insufficient to address a disease that has been growing and will need more media. These are some of the main conclusions of the study Perceptions and Concerns of Professionals Linked to Oncology in Portugal which will be presented on Friday and it shows that over 80% of respondents consider that there are disparities in the treatment and the government does not invest enough in oncology.
The work, done in partnership between the Portuguese Society of Oncology and the Spring Meetings devoted to the subject and runs until Saturday in Évora, included surveys distributed to 600 professionals working in oncology, in most cases doctors. Data were collected between March and April this year and the preliminary findings show that “most professionals do not feel very comfortable with access to health care and innovative therapeutic” and have “a great concern for the training and lack of human resources, “said the PUBLIC oncologist Sergio Barroso, one of the coordinators of the work.
For 53% of participants, access to a better therapy is even the first concern, Second come the regional and national disparities in access to care (mentioned by 28%) of persons and, almost in a tie for third place, is targeted investment in health and access to continuing and palliative care. “The survey results end up not scare us so much and we found that the concerns are cross-cutting,” admits Sergio Barroso, who is also director of Évora Hospital Oncology Department.
In a more open question, the professionals were also apprehensive about the lack of continuous training throughout working life and, if they were to decide the distribution of funds to 56% of respondents the priority going to allow “access to the best treatment, early and equitable in all regions of the country. ” In 27% of cases the priority would go to palliative care and other 23% to information and prevention campaigns on cancer. There are still 74% of professionals to consider that the lack of human resources or health centers are in hospitals, is hindering the fight against cancer. Almost 70% of people also noted the lack of screening programs organized as a failure.
“A part of this divestment is clearly offset by the effort and dedication of these professionals from different areas, but it has limits and not that is enough. They begin to feel these differences, “says Sergio Barroso, which reinforces that” we have in Portugal about a third of the average of the oncologists Western Europe, which is a very marked lack, and there are failures in other areas. ” “The lack of investment makes the situation is difficult when we compare ourselves with other partners. While in other countries there is a facilitation of access to research and investment in Portugal is the opposite “he said.
Another part of the survey asked specifically to health professionals agreed or disagreed with certain ideas and we could perceive 82% feel that the government does not invest in the required area of oncology for patients to access the most advanced therapies. In 64% of cases people also disagreed with the assertion that the patients are being treated in accordance with international recommendations.
Looking for a comparison with what the European reality, doubts about the situation national persist, with 83% of people disagree with that in Portugal patients living with cancer have the best medical treatment regardless of the hospital and 74% to refuse the Portuguese politicians give equal importance to the fight against cancer that European partners . Over 70% of respondents also disagreed that Portugal is, like other European countries, prepared to deal with the growing incidence of cancer.
“When we compare what we are invested with the results in the first places of the European community, but we could have even better results and put the patient at the center of the system, which in practice does not happen and it is urgent to know that in 2020 nearly two in three people will have the chance of having cancer over of life, “summarizes Sergio Barroso.
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