Examination of Healthcare Quality Indicators with a Two-Stage Panel Data Analysis: The Case of Cancer Care

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the quality of care for cancer patients using survival rates for breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and stomach cancers. Methods: The study population comprised OECD countries. Survival rates from breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and stomach cancers, alcohol use, smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity rates, age, and income were selected as research data. A two-stage panel data analysis was performed. In the first stage, efficiency scores were found to be an indicator of the quality of cancer care through data envelopment analysis. In the second stage, the factors affecting efficiency were determined by panel tobit regression analysis. Results: In the first stage, Australia, Canada, Finland, Iceland, Israel, Israel, Korea, the Slovak Republic and Turkey were found to be efficient in all years. In the second stage, it was found that alcohol consumption, smoking, and inactivity statistically decreased cancer activity (p<0,05). Conclusion: To reduce the negative impact of smoking, alcohol consumption, and inactivity on the quality of cancer care, it is important to integrate smoking cessation programs into cancer treatment plans, to offer counseling and support to help patients reduce or stop drinking, and to encourage and facilitate regular physical activity for cancer patients.