The cost of cure: Examining objective and subjective financial toxicity in head and neck cancer survivors

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader The cost of cure: Examining objective and subjective financial toxicity in head and neck cancer survivors Via Head & Neck Abstract Background Little is documented regarding objective financial metrics and their impact on subjective financial toxicity in head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors. Methods In a cross-sectional analysis, 71 survivors with available claims data for HNC-specific out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE) completed a survey including patient-reported, subjective financial toxicity outcome tools: the Comprehensive Score for financial Toxicity (COST) and the Financial Distress Questionnaire (FDQ). Results Worse COST scores were significantly associated with lower earnings at survey administration (coefficient = 3.79; 95% CI 2.63–4.95; p < 0.001); loss of earnings after diagnosis (coefficient = 6.03; 95% CI 0.53–11.52; p = 0.032); and greater annual OOPE as a proportion of earnings [log10(Annual OOPE:Earnings at survey): coefficient = −5.66; 95% CI −10.28 to −1.04; p = 0.017]. Similar results were found with FDQ. Conclusion Financial toxicity is associated with particular socioeconomic characteristics which, if understood, would assist the development of pre-treatment screening tools to detect at-risk individuals and intervene early in the HNC cancer survivorship trajectory. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.