Publications by authors named "K J Ortiz-Ortiz"
Background: Timely palliative and hospice care, along with advanced care planning, can reduce avoidable high-intensity care and improve quality of life at the end of life (EoL).
Objective: We examined patterns of care at EoL and evaluated predictors of high-intensity care at EoL among adults aged 18-64 with cancer.
Methods: Using data from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry-Health Insurance Linkage Database, we examined 1359 patients diagnosed with cancer in 2010-2019, who died of cancer between 2017 and 2019 at 64 years and younger, and who were enrolled in Medicaid or private health insurance in last 30 days before death.
Since 2017, Puerto Rico has faced environmental, economic, and political crises, leading to the emigration of healthcare workers and weakening the healthcare system. These challenges have affected cancer treatment continuity, exacerbating healthcare access challenges island-wide. In this study, we estimate the effect of the residence region on cancer treatment disruption following Hurricanes Irma and María (2017).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. It is the third cause of death among patients with cancer in Puerto Rico (PR) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most prevalent. This study aims to describe the first-line treatment (1LT) and health care resource utilization (HCRU) among patients with NSCLC in PR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Endometrial cancer poses a significant health concern in Puerto Rico, where it ranks as the primary gynecological malignancy among women. This study evaluates concordance with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for endometrial cancer first treatment in Puerto Rican women and its association with 5-year overall survival.
Methods: Data on patients with endometrial cancer diagnosed between 2009 and 2015 was obtained from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry, which is linked to the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Linkage database (n = 2114).
Article Synopsis
- Cervical cancer rates in Puerto Rico are on the rise, with a 1.6% annual increase in incidence from 2001 to 2019, particularly among women aged 25-64.
- Data shows a significant rise in advanced-stage disease (4.5% per year), suggesting that this increase may not just be due to better diagnostics.
- The stable mortality rates for this age group indicate a need for more effective prevention strategies and research to understand the causes behind these alarming trends.