Generating evidence to support value-based care in Türkiye
Dr. Fatma Burcu Doganc at the European Forum on Prevention and Primary Care in Edirne, Türkiye.
Türkiye, April 2024 - The value-based healthcare (VBHC) programme team in Türkiye recently shared their preliminary results with the scientific community, generating evidence to support the VBHC approach.
Initial findings uncover sources for delays in breast cancer care
The European Forum on Prevention and Primary Care was hosted in Edirne, Türkiye from 25-26 April 2024. The forum brought together over 300 participants, aiming to promote evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion in general medicine across Europe.
Dr. Fatma Burcu Doganc presented the initial findings from the project ‘Perception, beliefs, and behaviours affecting early diagnosis of breast cancer in Türkiye’ which forms part of the VBHC programme. Discussions focused on the methodological approach and the importance of properly identifying risk groups for participation in screening projects.
“The project team has completed 180 interviews to better understand the sources of delays in screening, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer. ”
To date, the project team has completed 180 interviews with women in the target population, family health physicians, and personnel across Türkiye to better understand the sources of delays in screening, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer. Preliminary results indicated lack of awareness, lack of availability, elements of shame and operational challenges such as booking appointments as key barriers for accessing screening.
Award for the best oral presentation
Dr. Güldeniz Karadeniz (centre) and her team at the 23rd National Surgery Congress in Antalya, Türkiye.
The 23rd National Surgery Congress was hosted in Antalya, Türkiye from 24-28 April 2024. The project team, led by Dr. Güldeniz Karadeniz, shared the most recent findings from the project ‘The etiological causes of diagnostic and treatment delays in locally advanced breast cancer – a nationwide survey trial’ which forms part of the VBHC programme, and were awarded best oral presentation.
Over 1,000 hospital-based surveys have been completed across all regions in Türkiye, seeking to better understand types of delays, stage of diagnosis at which delays occur, and duration of delays. Nearly a quarter of women with locally advanced breast cancer reported lack of awareness as a key factor for delay in seeking care, and perception of treatment side effects contributed to delays in post-surgery chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
“Over 1’000 hospital-based surveys have been completed”
These conferences proved to be a fruitful opportunity to communicate with the European medical community on the VBHC programme and its impact. The VBHC Programme in Türkiye will continue data collection to inform the development of pilot projects aimed at reducing delays in screening, diagnosis, and treatment and improving health outcomes for patients with breast cancer, aligned with the WHO’s Global Breast Cancer Implementation Framework.
GSF and UNITAR are looking forward to continuing working with their partners in Türkiye for patient impact.
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