S urviving lung cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand could depend on whether you can access a GP – raising questions about equity in the country’s health system. Our new research examines the outcomes for patients who are diagnosed with lung cancer through their GP versus those who are diagnosed at the emergency department (ED). Examining 2,400 lung cancer diagnoses in Waikato between 2011 and 2021, we found those who are diagnosed with lung cancer after ED visits tended to have later-stage disease and poorer outcomes compared to those diagnosed after a GP referral.
We also found diagnosis after ED attendance was 27% higher for Māori than non-Māori and 22% higher for men than women. These results raise important questions about health inequity in New Zealand and highlight the need to ensure everyone is able to access an early cancer diagnosis. Currently half of all general practices have closed their books to new patients, leaving 290,000 patients unenrolled and reliant on emergency departments for their health care.
Some 80% of practices have closed their books to new patients at some point since 2019. For those who are enrolled in a practice, the wait times for appointments are often such that the only option is to go to the ED for help. This is especially true in rural areas where the hospital can become the default route to diagnosis.
Lung cancer is New Zealand’s single biggest cause of cancer deaths, with over 1,800 per year . Some 80% of those who are diagnosed with.