Dealing with the financial burden of cancer: perspectives of older breast cancer survivors

Abstract

Purpose Financial burden among cancer survivors is often overlooked in survivorship care planning. Cancer survivors with limited incomes may be particularly affected. Yet, little data are available to address financial issues among them. Eliciting the survivors’ perspectives on how to deal with this financial burden is a first crucial step to identifying the means to provide this supportive care. Methods In this pilot study, three Nominal Group Technique (NGT) sessions were conducted with a convenience sample of 23 older breast cancer survivors (age 52 to 83) recruited from a county safety net hospital and a Comprehensive Cancer Center. One single NGT question was posed in these sessions, namely “What could help women deal with the financial burden that cancer brings to them and their families?” Survivors responded in an iterative fashion and then ranked the most relevant responses. Results The most relevant responses addressed the: (1) need for affordable insurance; (2) need to have prompt information on treatment costs patients will face, insurance coverage, and agencies or programs that provide needed products and services; and (3) need to access social workers, navigators, support groups, or others knowledgeable about available resources. Survivors also suggested that physicians become aware of cancer costs and financial issues faced by patients, and consider costs in their treatment plans. Conclusions Older survivors face financial challenges for which there are few available resources. They suggested several avenues to address cancer-related financial issues that may be considered in developing supportive interventions.

Values and worries of ovarian cancer patients

“…The implications these may have for the well-being of women with ovarian cancer, and how to address them, needs to be investigated. Breast cancer survivors, for example, suggested that knowing the costs of care upfront would help in dealing with financial challenges [22]. Similar interventions may also help women with ovarian cancer.…”

Conditional disease-free survival among patients with breast cancer

“…[28–30] Most patients experience a fear of recurrence, [31] which is why individual tailored follow-up plans are needed instead of ready-made plans. We aimed to identify whether some patients might need continuous close surveillance whereas, in other patients, it might be possible to omit some tests or extend the intervals between surveillance tests.…”

Patient recommendations for reducing long‐lasting economic burden after breast cancer

“…Patient‐driven recommendations go beyond direct medical costs to address: psychosocial costs; indirect costs, such as employment losses; time costs; and nonmedical direct costs, such as transportation to medical visits . For example, one study of patient‐driven recommendations identified the need for affordable insurance, prompt information on costs, and access to social workers, navigators, and support groups knowledgeable about resources to reduce economic burden . However, that study only included older breast cancer survivors from one safety‐net clinic; therefore, an assessment of breast cancer survivors across age groups, insurance, and health care systems might yield new or different findings.…”