Background: Although financial distress is commonly recognized in patients with cancer, it may be more prevalent in younger adults. This study sought to evaluate disparities in overall and financial distress in patients with cancer as a function of age. Methods: This was a single-center cross-sectional study of patients with solid malignancies requiring cancer therapy. The patient questionnaire included demographics, financial concerns, and measures of overall and financial distress. Data analyses compared patients in 3 age groups: young (<50 years), middle-aged (50-64 years), and elderly (≥65 years). Results: The cohort included 119 patients (median age, 62 years; 52% female; 84% white; 100% insured; 36% income ≥$75,000). Significant financial concerns included paying rent/mortgage (P=.003) and buying food (P=.032). Impact of Event Scale (IES) results revealed significant distress in 73% young, 64% middle-aged, and 44% elderly patients. The mean Distress Thermometer (DT) score was 6.1 (standard deviation [SD], 2.9) for young patients, 5.4 (SD, 2.6) for middle-aged, and 4.4 (SD, 3.3) for elderly patients. Young patients were more likely than elderly patients to have a higher IES distress score (P=.016) and DT score (P=.048). The mean InCharge score was lowest (indicating greatest financial distress) in the young group and progressed with age: 5.0 (SD, 1.9), 5.7 (SD, 2.7), and 7.4 (SD, 1.9), respectively (P<.001). Multivariable analyses revealed that the relationship between financial distress and overall distress was strongest in the middle-age group; as the DT increased by 1 point, the InCharge scores decreased by 0.52 (P<.001). Conclusions: Overall and financial distress are more common in young and middle-aged patients with cancer. There are several factors, including employment, insurance, access to paid sick leave, children, and education, that affect younger and middle-aged adults and are less of a potential stressor for elderly individuals.
Background: Although financial distress is commonly recognized in patients with cancer, it may be more prevalent in younger adults. This study sought to evaluate disparities in overall and financial distress in patients with cancer as a function of age. Methods: This was a single-center cross-sectional study of patients with solid malignancies requiring cancer therapy. The patient questionnaire included demographics, financial concerns, and measures of overall and financial distress. Data analyses compared patients in 3 age groups: young (<50 years), middle-aged (50-64 years), and elderly (≥65 years). Results: The cohort included 119 patients (median age, 62 years; 52% female; 84% white; 100% insured; 36% income ≥$75,000). Significant financial concerns included paying rent/mortgage (P=.003) and buying food (P=.032). Impact of Event Scale (IES) results revealed significant distress in 73% young, 64% middle-aged, and 44% elderly patients. The mean Distress Thermometer (DT) score was 6.1 (standard deviation [SD], 2.9) for young patients, 5.4 (SD, 2.6) for middle-aged, and 4.4 (SD, 3.3) for elderly patients. Young patients were more likely than elderly patients to have a higher IES distress score (P=.016) and DT score (P=.048). The mean InCharge score was lowest (indicating greatest financial distress) in the young group and progressed with age: 5.0 (SD, 1.9), 5.7 (SD, 2.7), and 7.4 (SD, 1.9), respectively (P<.001). Multivariable analyses revealed that the relationship between financial distress and overall distress was strongest in the middle-age group; as the DT increased by 1 point, the InCharge scores decreased by 0.52 (P<.001). Conclusions: Overall and financial distress are more common in young and middle-aged patients with cancer. There are several factors, including employment, insurance, access to paid sick leave, children, and education, that affect younger and middle-aged adults and are less of a potential stressor for elderly individuals.
Authors: Melissa Beauchemin; Sheila Judge Santacroce; Kira Bona; Ha Dang; Sarah Alexander; Kamala Allen; Crystal De Los Santos; Beth Fisher; Yudy Muñeton-Castaño; Olivia Ponce; Sarah Vargas; Aaron Sugalski; Lillian Sung; Susan Parsons Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2022-06-28 Impact factor: 2.908
Authors: Grace L Smith; Maria A Lopez-Olivo; Pragati G Advani; Matthew S Ning; Yimin Geng; Sharon H Giordano; Robert J Volk Journal: J Natl Compr Canc Netw Date: 2019-10-01 Impact factor: 11.908
Authors: Barbara W Carlson; Melissa A Craft; John R Carlson; Wajeeha Razaq; Kelley K Deardeuff; Doris M Benbrook Journal: Geroscience Date: 2018-05-26 Impact factor: 7.713
Authors: John M Salsman; Suzanne C Danhauer; Justin B Moore; Edward H Ip; Laurie E McLouth; Chandylen L Nightingale; Christabel K Cheung; Kristin M Bingen; Reginald D Tucker-Seeley; Denisha Little-Greene; Dianna S Howard; Bryce B Reeve Journal: Cancer Date: 2021-04-13 Impact factor: 6.921
Authors: Smith Giri; Deanna Clark; Mustafa Al-Obaidi; Will Varnado; Seema Kumar; Ravi Paluri; Olumide Gbolahan; Smita Bhatia; Grant R Williams Journal: JCO Oncol Pract Date: 2020-10-30