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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Oncol.
Sec. Radiation Oncology
Volume 14 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1434949

Patient Engagement in Radiation Oncology: A Large Retrospective Study of Survey Response Dynamics

Provisionally accepted
Bailey Alexander Loving Bailey Alexander Loving *Hong Ye Hong Ye Elizabeth Rutka Elizabeth Rutka John M. Robertson John M. Robertson
  • Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Abstract Purpose Patient satisfaction surveys are pivotal in evaluating healthcare quality and enhancing patient care. Understanding the factors influencing patient engagement with these surveys in radiation oncology can guide improvements in patient-centered care. Methods This retrospective study analyzed data from radiation oncology patients at a large multi-site single-institution center from May 2021 to January 2024. We assessed the influence of demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic factors on the likelihood of survey participation using univariate (UVA) and multivariable (MVA) logistic regression analyses. Factors included age, gender, race, socioeconomic status (SES) via Area Deprivation Index (ADI), language, marital status, smoking, employment, insurance type, mental health disorders (MHD), comorbidity index (CCI), and cancer type. Results In a comprehensive analysis of 11,859 patients, most were female (57.2%), over 65 years old (60.7%), and primarily insured by Medicare (45.9%). MVA showed that higher socioeconomic disadvantage significantly decreased survey participation (ADI third tertile vs. first tertile OR=0.708, p<0.001), with each unit increase in ADI reducing the odds of completion by 1% (p<0.001). Older adults, and patients with head and neck or genitourinary cancers were significantly more likely to participate, while those with higher comorbidities, MHD, or other minority status were less engaged (p<0.001). Telemedicine encounters also significantly increased participation compared to in-person visits (OR=1.149, p=0.006). Conclusions Multiple factors including age, race, SES, insurance type, cancer type, health conditions, and modality of healthcare delivery influence patient engagement with satisfaction surveys in radiation oncology. Strategies to enhance patient engagement must consider these diverse influences to ensure comprehensive and inclusive feedback mechanisms in healthcare settings. Tailored interventions to mitigate barriers specific to underrepresented groups are crucial for capturing a broad spectrum of patient experiences and improving the overall quality of patient care.

    Keywords: patient engagement, Satisfaction surveys, Radiation Oncology, socioeconomic status (SES), Area Deprivation Index (ADI), Telemedicine, mental health disorders (MHD), Patientcentered care

    Received: 19 May 2024; Accepted: 24 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Loving, Ye, Rutka and Robertson. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Bailey Alexander Loving, Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.