Characterising melanoma diagnostic pathways for patients in routine practice using administrative health data in Ontario, Canada: a population-based study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To characterise diagnostic pathways for patients with melanoma in routine practice and compare patient, disease and diagnostic interval (DI) characteristics across pathways.

Design

Descriptive cross-sectional study using administrative health data.

Setting

Population-based study in Ontario, Canada.

Participants

Patients with melanoma diagnosed from 2007 to 2019.

Main outcome measures

We used latent class cluster analysis to create clusters of patients with similar diagnostic experiences to characterise diagnostic pathways in routine practice. Indicator variables characterised the patient's keratinocyte carcinoma and dermatologist history, presentation pattern, procedure types, number of visits and procedures, and the activity on the diagnosis d

SUBMITTER: Mavor ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11784364 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature