Financial Effects of Cancer Diagnosis

The financial impact of a cancer diagnosis
Linda Sharp
Aileen Timmons

National
Cancer
Registry
Ireland

Kindly supported by

The financial impact of a cancer diagnosis
Linda Sharp
Aileen Timmons

With the support of:
Harry Comber, Director, National Cancer Registry (NCR)
Noeleen Donnelly, Human Resources Manager, Irish Cancer Society (ICS)
Joan Kelly, Nursing Services Manager, ICS
Mairéad Lyons, Head of Services, ICS
John McCormack, Chief Executive, ICS
Niamh Ni Chonghaile, Financial Controller, ICS
Eileen O’Donnell, Oncology Social Worker, St Vincent 's Hospital
Olwyn Ryan, Patient Support Services Manager, ICS

© National Cancer Registry/Irish Cancer Society 2010

Summary
Introduction
The costs to the health services of the diagnosis and treatment of cancer are substantial.
These costs have increased over the past decades and are expected to rise further in coming years with population ageing and advances in treatment. However, the economic burden of cancer does not fall only on the health services, but also on patients, their families, and society as a whole. Until recently, little has been known about the costs incurred by cancer patients and their families.
This project set out to answer the following questions:
•

What are the main elements of additional cost (medical and non-medical) incurred by cancer patients and their families?

•

How much additional expense do patients incur as a result of their diagnosis with cancer? •

What impact does cancer have on income (e.g. lost pay, availability of sick pay, access to benefits)?

•

What proportion of patients (a) incur additional costs or (b) experience financial difficulties as a result of their cancer diagnosis?

•

Are particular groups of patients more vulnerable to incurring additional costs or financial difficulties as a result of having cancer?

•

What are the consequences of the additional expenses, and any changes in income, for

References: this translates into almost 23,000 individuals diagnosed with a new invasive cancer each year (National Cancer Registry, 2009) between 2010 and 2020, and by 110% between 2010 and 2030 (National Cancer Registry, 2008) mainly due to population ageing cancer is increasing slowly, but steadily (Comber & Walsh, 2008). Altogether this means that there are increasing numbers of people living with cancer in Ireland claimed that almost all families confronted with a diagnosis of cancer have financial issues or economic losses of some kind (Berkman & Sampson, 1993; Gordon et al., 2007) patients are more likely to report financial difficulties than persons without cancer (Arndt et al., 2004; Arndt et al., 2005) between 11% and 16% of patients considered themselves to have major financial difficulties due to a cancer diagnosis (Bruera et al., 1990; Martinson et al., 1993; Karesen & Langmark, supplements due to the effects of chemotherapy, home or childcare)(Moore, 1999; Pearce et al., 2001; Longo et al., 2007) income due to time away from work because of the cancer or its treatment (Bennett et al., 2008; Lauzier et al., 2008) (e.g. those with a lower income; Arozullah et al., 2004; Langa et al., 2004) may be particularly vulnerable to the adverse financial and economic effects of cancer. the disease (Chirikos et al., 2002), having to cut-back on "extras" such as social expenditure or holidays (Cohn et al., 2003), and having to borrow money (Dockerty et al., 2003) worries or stress and lead to psychological and emotional problems (Chapple et al., 2004). Indeed, in a study by Macmillan Cancer Support in the UK, many patients claimed that financial concerns were second only to pain as a cause of stress (Quinn, 2002). collected for other purposes to make estimates and inferences about the financial and economic impact of cancer on patients (for example, Yabroff et al., 2005; Hassett et al. 2009). Some imputed aspects of costs (e.g. travel costs based on mileage; Longo et al., 2007) with treatment, non-medical costs, transport, medications, impact on earnings)(Houts et al., 1984; Allirajah et al., 2005; Owusu-Barnaby et al., 2006; Yabroff et al., 2007; Syse et