Radiotherapy services in countries in transition: gross national income per capita as a significant factor

• Published in: Radiotherapy and oncology 2002-05, Vol.63 (2), p.147-150
• Main Authors: Levin, Victor, Tatsuzaki, Hideo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Developing Countries - economics; Developing Countries - statistics & numerical data; Economics; Equipment/supplies; Health care facilities; Humans; Income; National health planning; Radiation Oncology - instrumentation; Radiation Oncology - statistics & numerical data; Radioisotope Teletherapy - instrumentation; Radioisotope Teletherapy - statistics & numerical data; Radiotherapy; Radiotherapy - economics; Radiotherapy - instrumentation; Radiotherapy - statistics & numerical data; Radiotherapy, High-Energy - economics; Radiotherapy, High-Energy - instrumentation; Radiotherapy, High-Energy - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0167-8140; 1879-0887
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-8140(02)00010-5

Background and purpose: The acquisition of radiotherapy by countries in transition (CITs) is an evolutionary process from having no resources whatsoever, to meeting the standards adopted by well-developed countries. The influence of the economic ability of a country to acquire and sustain this technology has intuitively been accepted as a major factor but has not before been subjected to analysis for a large group of countries. This information has been analysed to provide guidance to countries commencing and expanding radiotherapy services. Material and methods: The number of linear accelerators and 60Co megavoltage teletherapy machines in 72 CITs, those with gross national income per capita (GNI/cap)$12 000 pa were expressed as machines per million population (MEV/mil) and used as an index of the ability of the country to provide a service. This figure was related to GNI/cap. The average populations of 24 further countries without radiotherapy were compared with 21 countries with radiotherapy facilities having the same range of GNI/cap. Results: The relationship log 10 MEV/mil=−2.90+0.85 log 10 GNI/cap was identified between the machines and income. Also verified was that small low income countries were less likely to have the technology than those with large populations. Conclusions: The increase in the number of teletherapy machines is closely linked to the GNI/cap of a country. Our sample of well developed countries failed to demonstrate a levelling off of equipment acquisition with income. In the lower income group, smaller countries were less likely to have radiotherapy services than those with large populations.