Marta Ortega-Ortega1, Juan Oliva-Moreno2, Juan de Dios Jiménez-Aguilera3, Antonio Romero-Aguilar4, Ildefonso Espigado-Tocino5. 1. Applied Economic Department, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. Electronic address: mortega2@ugr.es. 2. Economic Analysis Department and REDISSEC, University of Castilla La-Mancha, Castilla La-Mancha, Toledo, Spain. 3. Applied Economic Department, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. 4. Haematology Department, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain. 5. Haematology Department, University Hospital Virgen del Rocío, University of Seville, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville, Seville, Spain.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Stem cell transplantation has been used for many years to treat haematological malignancies that could not be cured by other treatments. Despite this medical breakthrough, mortality rates remain high. Our purpose was to evaluate labour productivity losses associated with premature mortality due to blood cancer in recipients of stem cell transplantations. METHODS: We collected primary data from the clinical histories of blood cancer patients who had undergone stem cell transplantation between 2006 and 2011 in two Spanish hospitals. We carried out a descriptive analysis and calculated the years of potential life lost and years of potential productive life lost. Labour productivity losses due to premature mortality were estimated using the Human Capital method. An alternative approach, the Friction Cost method, was used as part of the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that, in a population of 179 transplanted and deceased patients, males and people who die between the ages of 30 and 49 years generate higher labour productivity losses. The estimated loss amounts to over €31.4 million using the Human Capital method (€480,152 using the Friction Cost method), which means an average of €185,855 per death. The highest labour productivity losses are produced by leukaemia. However, lymphoma generates the highest loss per death. CONCLUSIONS: Further efforts are needed to reduce premature mortality in blood cancer patients undergoing transplantations and reduce economic losses.
INTRODUCTION: Stem cell transplantation has been used for many years to treat haematological malignancies that could not be cured by other treatments. Despite this medical breakthrough, mortality rates remain high. Our purpose was to evaluate labour productivity losses associated with premature mortality due to blood cancer in recipients of stem cell transplantations. METHODS: We collected primary data from the clinical histories of blood cancerpatients who had undergone stem cell transplantation between 2006 and 2011 in two Spanish hospitals. We carried out a descriptive analysis and calculated the years of potential life lost and years of potential productive life lost. Labour productivity losses due to premature mortality were estimated using the Human Capital method. An alternative approach, the Friction Cost method, was used as part of the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that, in a population of 179 transplanted and deceased patients, males and people who die between the ages of 30 and 49 years generate higher labour productivity losses. The estimated loss amounts to over €31.4 million using the Human Capital method (€480,152 using the Friction Cost method), which means an average of €185,855 per death. The highest labour productivity losses are produced by leukaemia. However, lymphoma generates the highest loss per death. CONCLUSIONS: Further efforts are needed to reduce premature mortality in blood cancerpatients undergoing transplantations and reduce economic losses.
Authors: Caris E Grimes; Matthew Quaife; Thaim B Kamara; Christopher B D Lavy; Andy J M Leather; Håkon A Bolkan Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2018-03-14 Impact factor: 2.692