Background
Bowel cancer is a harmful disease that requires immediate intervention to prevent its negative consequences on health. The given case study demonstrates that the timely diagnosis of the illness can minimize its destructive consequences, and patients should undergo the FOBT test regularly to reveal the disease. Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer. For instance, in 2022, around 5,300 people died from this disease, whereas around 55,000 people were diagnosed, which is 11% of all deaths in Australia in 2022 (Cancer Australia, 2022).
Moreover, according to the statistics, it is the second-highest number of deaths after lung cancer. In 2022, it was estimated that there were around 10% of new bowel cancer cases. In addition, the age-standardized incidence rate for bowel cancer in Australia is approximately 60 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (Cancer Australia, 2022). The risk of having bowel cancer increases with age because most cases are diagnosed in people aged 50+ years. Therefore, this issue is disturbing in Australia due to its high death rates, and older people are at high risk of the disease.
Case Analysis
Ben accessed various healthcare services to diagnose and intervene in bowel cancer disease. Firstly, Ben made a test FOBT that aims to reveal the presence of bowel cancer in the patient’s organism (Marinucci et al., 2023). Secondly, Ben visited his General Practitioner to talk about the positive FOBT results. He was advised to refer to a colorectal surgeon.
In addition, it was recommended to reduce tobacco consumption due to its harmful effect on Ben’s health and refer to Quintline. Quintline is an Australian service that offers help to people who want to quit smoking (Quitline, n.d.). As a result, Ben gave up on harmful habits to improve his recovery process.
Thirdly, Ben was referred to a colorectal surgeon for essential medical intervention, further evaluation, and a colonoscopy. Lastly, Ben met with oncologists to determine the need for chemotherapy and follow-up colonoscopies. Hence, Ben took the FOBT test, visited his General Practitioner to discuss the results, and was advised to consult a colorectal specialist, quit smoking, and meet with oncologists.
Health Program
The selected health program is the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP), which helps detect bowel cancer at its early stages using special tests. The program’s central message is to promote early bowel cancer detection by making an FOBT test that is a reliable source of disease detection (Health, 2023). This test can be repeated every two years to prevent further illness development. Individuals get access to the test by mail, and for older people, this test kit is free, and the results are received within four weeks.
The NBCSP is supported by the National Cancer Screening Register, which reminds people about the screening (Health, 2023). In Ben’s case, this program allowed him to immediately conduct the test and indicate the presence of bowel cancer. In addition, Ben was instructed to meet his General Practitioner for further consultation and management, which reduced the number of negative consequences of bowel cancer.
Nevertheless, the NBCSP presents some limitations regarding treatment and follow-up. Firstly, the FOBT test is accessible for free for individuals aged 50 and over. As a result, people exceeding this age frame have lower opportunities to diagnose the disease and prevent its adverse consequences on time.
Secondly, the waiting period can be considered a limitation. For example, Ben waited four weeks to get the test result, and after that, he waited five weeks to make an appointment with a colorectal surgeon, so overall, he waited nine weeks to get the necessary treatment. As a result, this waiting period can be regarded as a limitation in timely access to needed care, negatively influencing recovery. Lastly, due to a wound infection, Ben was delayed for two weeks in starting chemotherapy, which also negatively influenced the efficiency of medical treatment. That is why the main limitation of the program is the timing of medical intervention, where various obstacles are faced.
Social Determinants of Health
The main social determinants in the case are socioeconomic status, working conditions, access to healthcare services, and social support, which create several complex factors that shape individuals’ health outcomes. Firstly, individuals with poorer status have lower access to healthcare tools and experience more diseases (Wilkinson & Marmot, 1970). Ben’s occupation and socioeconomic status can affect his prioritization of healthcare, so if healthcare actions demand significant financial expenses, these actions might be avoided.
Secondly, working conditions significantly influence health outcomes (Wilkinson & Marmot, 1970). Ben’s job as a tow truck driver leads to stress, negatively influencing his ability to find time for the FOBT test. Thirdly, social support is essential for overcoming difficulties (Wilkinson & Marmot, 1970). Ben got his partner and family’s support, which helped him quit smoking and improve the recovery process.
Lastly, the accessibility of healthcare services is crucial to prevent diseases and efficiently intervene in them (Wilkinson & Marmot, 1970). The waiting period for Ben to start medical intervention was nine weeks, which negatively affected the positive outcomes of the treatment process. Thus, the leading social determinants in Ben’s case include healthcare accessibility and socioeconomic status, which influence positive healing outcomes.
References
Quitline. (n.d.). Australian Government: Department of Health and Aged Care. Web.
Health (2023). About the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. Web.
Marinucci, N., Moy, N., Koloski, N., Shah, A., Austin, G., Russell‐Bennett, R., McCraw, J., Dulleck, U., & Holtmann, G. (2023). Social determinants and participation in Fecal Occult Blood Test-based colorectal cancer screening: A qualitative systematic review and meta‐synthesis. Health Promotion Journal of Australia. Web.
Cancer Australia. (2022). Bowel cancer statistics. Web.
Wilkinson, R., & Marmot, M. (1970). Social determinants of health: the solid facts. World Health Organization. Web.