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We Still Can't Wait

We Still Can't Wait EDIT OR’S MESSA GE 1 2 Mary I. Fisher, PT, PhD ; Laura S. Gilchrist, PT, PhD Board-certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy and Certified Lymphedema Therapist; Editor-in-Chief, Rehabilitation Oncology; and Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH; and Senior Editor, Rehabilitation Oncology; and Professor, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, St Catherine University, St Paul, MN The summer of 2021 Editor’s Message, “Why We Can’t there is a relative dearth of research focused on health dis- Wait,” highlighted health disparities that the COVID-19 parities in cancer rehabilitation. pandemic only increased. We called on clinicians to ad- Given the statistics—nearly 2 million people are di- vocate for health equity and for researchers to investigate agnosed with cancer each year in the United States, more the effect of health disparities in rehabilitation. Rehabili- than 18 million are surviving cancer, and documented ev- tation Oncology announced a call for papers for a special idence that survival rates and quality of life are lower in issue in 2023 focusing on health disparities in cancer re- underrepresented minority groups —one wonders why is habilitation and sought original research examining gaps this? There is a bit of shame as well. We can and should be in access, quality, and affordability of rehabilitation as well doing more and doing better. Burnout is real. Competing as the effect of disparities on disability. priorities are real. But ultimately, to those in underrepre- It is now 2023. We may have emerged from the strict sented groups receiving a different care experience, it does confines of the pandemic; we may be emerging from our not matter. Our profession is not stepping up to meet the stay-at-home lives and have moved toward full participa- needs of those in our community and we must do better. tion in society. We may be going to work and seeing pa- Please read the 3 pieces in this issue that do provide tients in person, enjoying dinner out with our friends and insight into health disparities—from our guest Letter to the families, and we might be thinking the pandemic is retreat- Editor about the cancer experience to a systematic review ing in the distance. But this retreat is not enjoyed equally by focused on the disparities among the frail elderly persons all. It is not true for those still unable to access care or only with cancer when addressing pain, and an excellent per- can access care of lesser quality or quantity. Health dispari- spective providing an example model of how to address ties persist despite the attention brought by the pandemic. disparities at the local community level. Clinicians, ask Although we had hoped to provide our readership yourselves what you can do. Researchers, find ways to in- with a special issue that focused on this critical issue, our vestigate barriers to care so that our profession can find call for papers was met with a feeble response. The Re- ways to dismantle them. habilitation Oncology Editorial Board met to discuss why All of us have a responsibility to address this critical this may have happened. The reasons likely vary—from issue. inability to access data to burnout (unable to deliver a manuscript within the time frame required). While some REFERENCES may have wished to contribute, busy schedules that have only seemed to continue and intensify post–COVID-19 did 1. American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2023. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society; 2023. not allow some to be able to prioritize the importance 2. Cancer Statistics, Reports on Cancer, Cancer Stat Facts: Cancer Dis- of this solicitation. But ultimately, we believe the reason parities. SEER—Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Pro- we cannot deliver for our clinician community is because gram, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health. https:// seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/disparities.html. Accessed February 27, Rehabilitation Oncology Copyright © 2023 Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy, APTA. The author declares no conflicts of interest. Online Publication date: March 29, 2023 Correspondence: Mary I. Fisher, PT, PhD, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Dayton, 300 College Park, Dayton, OH 45469 (editor@oncologypt.org; mary.fisher@udayton.edu ). DOI: 10.1097/01.REO.0000000000000339 66 Fisher and Gilchrist Rehabilitation Oncology, Vol. 41, No. 2 Copyright © 2023 Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy, APTA. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Rehabilitation Oncology Wolters Kluwer Health

We Still Can't Wait

Fisher, Mary I.; Gilchrist, Laura S.
Rehabilitation Oncology , Volume 41 (2) – Apr 29, 2023
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Publisher
Wolters Kluwer Health
Copyright
© 2023 Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy, APTA.
ISSN
2168-3808
eISSN
2381-2427
DOI
10.1097/01.reo.0000000000000339
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Abstract

EDIT OR’S MESSA GE 1 2 Mary I. Fisher, PT, PhD ; Laura S. Gilchrist, PT, PhD Board-certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy and Certified Lymphedema Therapist; Editor-in-Chief, Rehabilitation Oncology; and Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH; and Senior Editor, Rehabilitation Oncology; and Professor, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, St Catherine University, St Paul, MN The summer of 2021 Editor’s Message, “Why We Can’t there is a relative dearth of research focused on health dis- Wait,” highlighted health disparities that the COVID-19 parities in cancer rehabilitation. pandemic only increased. We called on clinicians to ad- Given the statistics—nearly 2 million people are di- vocate for health equity and for researchers to investigate agnosed with cancer each year in the United States, more the effect of health disparities in rehabilitation. Rehabili- than 18 million are surviving cancer, and documented ev- tation Oncology announced a call for papers for a special idence that survival rates and quality of life are lower in issue in 2023 focusing on health disparities in cancer re- underrepresented minority groups —one wonders why is habilitation and sought original research examining gaps this? There is a bit of shame as well. We can and should be in access, quality, and affordability of rehabilitation as well doing more and doing better. Burnout is real. Competing as the effect of disparities on disability. priorities are real. But ultimately, to those in underrepre- It is now 2023. We may have emerged from the strict sented groups receiving a different care experience, it does confines of the pandemic; we may be emerging from our not matter. Our profession is not stepping up to meet the stay-at-home lives and have moved toward full participa- needs of those in our community and we must do better. tion in society. We may be going to work and seeing pa- Please read the 3 pieces in this issue that do provide tients in person, enjoying dinner out with our friends and insight into health disparities—from our guest Letter to the families, and we might be thinking the pandemic is retreat- Editor about the cancer experience to a systematic review ing in the distance. But this retreat is not enjoyed equally by focused on the disparities among the frail elderly persons all. It is not true for those still unable to access care or only with cancer when addressing pain, and an excellent per- can access care of lesser quality or quantity. Health dispari- spective providing an example model of how to address ties persist despite the attention brought by the pandemic. disparities at the local community level. Clinicians, ask Although we had hoped to provide our readership yourselves what you can do. Researchers, find ways to in- with a special issue that focused on this critical issue, our vestigate barriers to care so that our profession can find call for papers was met with a feeble response. The Re- ways to dismantle them. habilitation Oncology Editorial Board met to discuss why All of us have a responsibility to address this critical this may have happened. The reasons likely vary—from issue. inability to access data to burnout (unable to deliver a manuscript within the time frame required). While some REFERENCES may have wished to contribute, busy schedules that have only seemed to continue and intensify post–COVID-19 did 1. American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2023. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society; 2023. not allow some to be able to prioritize the importance 2. Cancer Statistics, Reports on Cancer, Cancer Stat Facts: Cancer Dis- of this solicitation. But ultimately, we believe the reason parities. SEER—Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Pro- we cannot deliver for our clinician community is because gram, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health. https:// seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/disparities.html. Accessed February 27, Rehabilitation Oncology Copyright © 2023 Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy, APTA. The author declares no conflicts of interest. Online Publication date: March 29, 2023 Correspondence: Mary I. Fisher, PT, PhD, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Dayton, 300 College Park, Dayton, OH 45469 (editor@oncologypt.org; mary.fisher@udayton.edu ). DOI: 10.1097/01.REO.0000000000000339 66 Fisher and Gilchrist Rehabilitation Oncology, Vol. 41, No. 2 Copyright © 2023 Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy, APTA. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.

Journal

Rehabilitation Oncology – Wolters Kluwer Health

Published: Apr 29, 2023

References