The MICaDO study is a multi-method study that aims to investigate inclusive cancer diagnosis in people with disabilities and health outcomes. The main objective is to examine variations in cancer diagnosis and outcomes among individuals with psychiatric, intellectual, neurological, and sensory disabilities to develop interventions aimed at improving cancer care. The hypothesis that investigators will investigate is that people with disability are diagnosed with cancer later than people without disability due to a range of barriers, including physical, sensory, cognitive, and social barriers. The study will use a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative research (electronic health record analysis) and qualitative research (interviews). The total duration of the study is two years.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
80
Not applicable - observational study
Diagnostic pathways and oncological outcomes in Patients with Disabilities:
For the quantitative part of the study, the investigators will examine several outcomes, each measured separately comparing patients with and without specific disabilities: emergency presentation measured as a binary variable (No/Yes); diagnosis through screening measured as a binary variable (No/Yes); cancer stage at diagnosis measured as an ordinal categorical variable (Stage 1, 2, 3, 4); short-term mortality measured as a percentage rate at 30 days and 90 days from diagnosis. The data will be extracted from electronic health records at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan and the Lombardy Regional Data Warehouse. For the qualitative part of the study, the investigators will perform qualitative interviews with patients/caregivers and healthcare providers from the Lombardy Region. Patients with various types of disabilities will be recruited at the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan and through outreach activities by LEDHA and DAMA.
Time frame: Baseline
Accessibility and inclusiveness in Diagnostic Services: Validation of the DfA A.U.D.I.T.
The investigators will employ the Design for All (DfA) A.U.D.I.T., a digital platform developed by the Design and Health Lab of the Politecnico di Milano, to examine building performance, focusing on screening and diagnostic services. Specifically, the investigators will evaluate the interaction between physical, sensory, cognitive, and social barriers to validate a DfA tool for improving accessibility, inclusivity, and equity.
Time frame: Baseline
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