Diagnostic Imaging & Radiotherapy Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
PLoS One. 2019 Mar 21;14(3):e0213583. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213583. eCollection 2019.
BACKGROUND: The accessibility to radiotherapy facilities may affect the willingness to undergo treatment. We sought to quantify the distance and travel time of Malaysian population to the closest radiotherapy centre and to estimate the megavoltage unit (MV)/million population based on the regions. MATERIALS & METHODS: Data for subdistricts in Malaysia and radiotherapy services were extracted from Department of Statistics Malaysia and Directory of Radiotherapy Centres (DIRAC). Data from DIRAC were validated by direct communication with centres. Locations of radiotherapy centres, distance and travel time to the nearest radiotherapy were estimated using web mapping service, Google Map. RESULTS: The average distance and travel time from Malaysian population to the closest radiotherapy centre were 82.5km and 83.4mins, respectively. The average distance and travel were not homogenous; East Malaysia (228.1km, 236.1mins), Central (14.4km, 20.1mins), East Coast (124.2km, 108.8mins), Northern (42.9km, 42.8mins) and Southern (36.0km, 39.8mins). The MV/million population for the country is 2.47, East Malaysia (1.76), Central (4.19), East Coast (0.54), Northern (2.40), Southern (2.36). About 25% of the population needs to travel >100 km to get to the closest radiotherapy facility. CONCLUSION: On average, Malaysians need to travel far and long to reach radiotherapy facilities. The accessibility to radiotherapy facilities is not equitable. The disparity may be reduced by adding centres in East Malaysia and the East Coast.
背景:放疗设施的可及性可能会影响患者接受治疗的意愿。我们旨在量化马来西亚人口到最近放疗中心的距离和出行时间,并根据地区估算百万人口对应的兆伏(MV)/百万人口数量。
材料与方法:从马来西亚统计局和放疗中心名录(DIRAC)获取马来西亚各分区数据和放疗服务数据。通过与中心直接沟通对 DIRAC 数据进行验证。使用网络地图服务 Google Map 估算放疗中心的位置、到最近放疗中心的距离和出行时间。
结果:马来西亚人口到最近放疗中心的平均距离和出行时间分别为 82.5km 和 83.4min。平均距离和出行时间分布不均;东马来西亚(228.1km,236.1min)、中部(14.4km,20.1min)、东海岸(124.2km,108.8min)、北部(42.9km,42.8min)和南部(36.0km,39.8min)。全国的 MV/百万人口数量为 2.47,东马来西亚(1.76)、中部(4.19)、东海岸(0.54)、北部(2.40)、南部(2.36)。约 25%的人口需要出行 >100km 才能到达最近的放疗设施。
结论:马来西亚人平均需要长途跋涉才能到达放疗设施。放疗设施的可及性并不公平。在东马来西亚和东海岸增设中心可能会减少这种差距。
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