Gender differences in cancer care experiences in Switzerland: a multicentre cross-sectional study

Objectives To assess gender-related differences in patient-reported experiences across the cancer care pathway in Switzerland among patients with non-sex-specific cancers. Design Multicentre cross-sectional survey study. Setting Secondary and tertiary oncology care across 21 public and private hospitals in Switzerland, covering all linguistic regions. Participants Adult patients (≥18 years) with a confirmed diagnosis of cancer who received oncological care in participating centres and completed a standardised patient experience questionnaire. Of 4408 respondents included in the analysis, both men and women with non-sex-specific cancers were analysed. Patients with sex-specific cancers were excluded. Interventions None Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome was the overall rating of cancer care (0–10 scale). The secondary outcomes were specific patient experiences in the pretreatment phase (consultations before the diagnosis, diagnosis and decision-making), during treatment (inpatient and outpatient care, specific treatments and nurse consultations) and in the post-treatment phase (follow-up, home care and psychosocial support). Results Women rated their overall care lower than men (8.9 vs 9.1 on a 0–10 scale, p<0.001). After adjustment, women had lower odds of reporting a high rating (9 or 10) of their care (OR=0.74, 95% CI 0.62 to 0.87, p<0.001), of having received a written care plan (0.69, 0.59 to 0.82, p=0.001) and of receiving adequate information before surgery (0.42, 0.27 to 0.67, p=0.006) compared with men. Across the pathway, women consistently reported poorer experiences regarding communication, information and support compared with men. Conversely, men more often perceived unnecessary repetition of tests (1.42, 1.14 to 1.77, p=0.017). Conclusions Persistent gender inequities in cancer care experiences were identified, pointing to systemic gaps in communication, information and support. Addressing these disparities through gender-sensitive care is crucial to ensuring equitable, patient-centred oncological care for all.