Research article

The Association of Education, Employment and Living with a Partner with the Treatment among Patients with Head and Neck Cancer

  • Received: 30 September 2014 Accepted: 21 January 2015 Published: 22 January 2015
  • The aim of this study was to explore possible associations between social and socioeconomic status and ongoing treatment among patients with head and neck cancer. Material and methods: Data from 159 examined patients treated with head and neck cancer during the period from 2011 to 2012 were explored. A logistic regression analysis was used to assess association of social status (living with somebody vs. living alone), socioeconomic status (employed vs. unemployed) and education (primary/secondary/university) with treatment. Results: The results from logistic regression showed significant association of employment status and education with both interruption in radiochemotherapy and searching for additional help after surgery. Interruption of radiochemotherapy was almost 3 times more likely in a group of unemployed compared to the employed patients. Lack of searching for help after surgery was almost 4 times more likely in a group of unemployed compared to the employed and 5 times more likely in the group with the lowest education compared with the group with the highest education. Conclusions: The study suggests that special attention needs to be paid, not only during but also after treatment, to the patients from low socioeconomic groups.

    Citation: Gabriela Štefková, Zuzana Dankulincová Veselská, Viola Vargová, Marek Pal'o. The Association of Education, Employment and Living with a Partner with the Treatment among Patients with Head and Neck Cancer[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2015, 2(1): 1-9. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2015.1.1

    Related Papers:

  • The aim of this study was to explore possible associations between social and socioeconomic status and ongoing treatment among patients with head and neck cancer. Material and methods: Data from 159 examined patients treated with head and neck cancer during the period from 2011 to 2012 were explored. A logistic regression analysis was used to assess association of social status (living with somebody vs. living alone), socioeconomic status (employed vs. unemployed) and education (primary/secondary/university) with treatment. Results: The results from logistic regression showed significant association of employment status and education with both interruption in radiochemotherapy and searching for additional help after surgery. Interruption of radiochemotherapy was almost 3 times more likely in a group of unemployed compared to the employed patients. Lack of searching for help after surgery was almost 4 times more likely in a group of unemployed compared to the employed and 5 times more likely in the group with the lowest education compared with the group with the highest education. Conclusions: The study suggests that special attention needs to be paid, not only during but also after treatment, to the patients from low socioeconomic groups.


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