Travel-associated carbon emissions of patients receiving cancer treatment from an urban safety net hospital
Background: Healthcare transportation, particularly the transportation of patients to access healthcare services, is a significant source of carbon emissions. This study aims to estimate the carbon emissions of patient transportation among patients receiving cancer care at an urban community safety...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Future Healthcare Journal |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2514664524015649 |
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| author | Hasiya Yusuf Rajvi Gor Roha Memon Saheed Charan Vegiventi Abhishek Kumar |
| author_facet | Hasiya Yusuf Rajvi Gor Roha Memon Saheed Charan Vegiventi Abhishek Kumar |
| author_sort | Hasiya Yusuf |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Healthcare transportation, particularly the transportation of patients to access healthcare services, is a significant source of carbon emissions. This study aims to estimate the carbon emissions of patient transportation among patients receiving cancer care at an urban community safety net hospital. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients seen at the oncology clinic of an urban community safety net hospital between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023. Patients with at least one in-person visit in 1 year, documented home addresses, and oncologic diagnoses were included in the study. The distance between each patient's home address and the hospital was calculated using the Google Map API key and a macro to calculate distance in metres. The total estimated carbon emissions were calculated using the EPA equivalencies calculator. The primary outcome was carbon emissions from patients' round-trip travel from home to hospital. Results: From 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023, 13,970 visits were made to the oncology clinic. Of these, 8,235 visits made by 1,080 patients met the criteria for inclusion in the final analysis. Of the 8,235 visits recorded, 5,095 (61.8%) were follow-up/laboratory visits. The 1,080 patients who attended the clinic had a mean age of 63.8 years; 700 (64.8%) were male, and 525 (48.6%) were Black or African-American. Breast cancer was the most common diagnosis, accounting for 423 (39.2%) of cancer diagnoses. Each patient travelled 4.8 (0.3–149.3) miles for a one-way trip and 9.6 (0.7–298.6) miles for a round trip to receive cancer care. Approximately 1,520 (280–119,440) g carbon were emitted per patient visit. A total of 79,582 round-trip miles was calculated for the 8,235 visits made by all patients within 1 year, which corresponds to 31,832 kg CO2 emissions equivalent to 35,658 pounds of coal burned, 1,462 propane cylinders used for a home, or 3,872,250 smartphones charged. Conclusion: Travel to receive cancer care is associated with significant carbon emissions and poses a climate and public health risk. Efforts to decrease the overall carbon footprint of cancer treatment are needed to minimise the contributions of cancer treatment to climate change. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-72caf3210c57434c88becc0e4d957aa8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2514-6645 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Future Healthcare Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-72caf3210c57434c88becc0e4d957aa82024-12-14T06:31:48ZengElsevierFuture Healthcare Journal2514-66452024-12-01114100174Travel-associated carbon emissions of patients receiving cancer treatment from an urban safety net hospitalHasiya Yusuf0Rajvi Gor1Roha Memon Saheed2Charan Vegiventi3Abhishek Kumar4Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USADepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USADepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USADepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USADepartment of Hemato-Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA; Corresponding author at: Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Jacobi Medical Center, Building 1, 3N20, 1400 Pelham Parkway S, Bronx, NY, USA.Background: Healthcare transportation, particularly the transportation of patients to access healthcare services, is a significant source of carbon emissions. This study aims to estimate the carbon emissions of patient transportation among patients receiving cancer care at an urban community safety net hospital. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients seen at the oncology clinic of an urban community safety net hospital between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023. Patients with at least one in-person visit in 1 year, documented home addresses, and oncologic diagnoses were included in the study. The distance between each patient's home address and the hospital was calculated using the Google Map API key and a macro to calculate distance in metres. The total estimated carbon emissions were calculated using the EPA equivalencies calculator. The primary outcome was carbon emissions from patients' round-trip travel from home to hospital. Results: From 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023, 13,970 visits were made to the oncology clinic. Of these, 8,235 visits made by 1,080 patients met the criteria for inclusion in the final analysis. Of the 8,235 visits recorded, 5,095 (61.8%) were follow-up/laboratory visits. The 1,080 patients who attended the clinic had a mean age of 63.8 years; 700 (64.8%) were male, and 525 (48.6%) were Black or African-American. Breast cancer was the most common diagnosis, accounting for 423 (39.2%) of cancer diagnoses. Each patient travelled 4.8 (0.3–149.3) miles for a one-way trip and 9.6 (0.7–298.6) miles for a round trip to receive cancer care. Approximately 1,520 (280–119,440) g carbon were emitted per patient visit. A total of 79,582 round-trip miles was calculated for the 8,235 visits made by all patients within 1 year, which corresponds to 31,832 kg CO2 emissions equivalent to 35,658 pounds of coal burned, 1,462 propane cylinders used for a home, or 3,872,250 smartphones charged. Conclusion: Travel to receive cancer care is associated with significant carbon emissions and poses a climate and public health risk. Efforts to decrease the overall carbon footprint of cancer treatment are needed to minimise the contributions of cancer treatment to climate change.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2514664524015649Carbon emissionCancerOncologyTreatmentHealthcareClimate change |
| spellingShingle | Hasiya Yusuf Rajvi Gor Roha Memon Saheed Charan Vegiventi Abhishek Kumar Travel-associated carbon emissions of patients receiving cancer treatment from an urban safety net hospital Future Healthcare Journal Carbon emission Cancer Oncology Treatment Healthcare Climate change |
| title | Travel-associated carbon emissions of patients receiving cancer treatment from an urban safety net hospital |
| title_full | Travel-associated carbon emissions of patients receiving cancer treatment from an urban safety net hospital |
| title_fullStr | Travel-associated carbon emissions of patients receiving cancer treatment from an urban safety net hospital |
| title_full_unstemmed | Travel-associated carbon emissions of patients receiving cancer treatment from an urban safety net hospital |
| title_short | Travel-associated carbon emissions of patients receiving cancer treatment from an urban safety net hospital |
| title_sort | travel associated carbon emissions of patients receiving cancer treatment from an urban safety net hospital |
| topic | Carbon emission Cancer Oncology Treatment Healthcare Climate change |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2514664524015649 |
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