Francesca Gany1, Claudia Ayash2, Noor Raad1, Minlun Wu1, Nicole Roberts-Eversley1, Hani Mahmoud1, Yousef Fouad3, Yara Fahmy3, Hadeel Asar3, Ahmed Salama3, Mohamed El-Shinawi3. 1. Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA. 2. Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA. ayashc@mskcc.org. 3. Department of General Surgery, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer treatment is an established cause of financial toxicity, and associated costs may contribute to higher mortality and morbidity rates. In Egypt, breast cancer incidence and mortality rates are among the highest in the Middle East. Late-stage diagnosis is common, and disease occurs at an earlier age than in Europe and North America. Out-of-pocket payments are the primary means of financing healthcare in Egypt, and socioeconomic factors have been shown to significantly impact access to cancer screening and treatment. METHODS: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted among breast cancer patients at Ain Shams University Hospitals in Cairo from 2013 to 2015. RESULTS: One hundred women with breast cancer participated. There was a high need for financial assistance (66.0%) and patients with financial needs had great difficulty affording medications (80.0%). A number of patients had lost their jobs following diagnosis, with 32.7% employed prior to diagnosis and 15.3% afterwards. Nearly one-half of participants were classified as food insecure, and nearly one-third reported difficulty affording transportation costs. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to describe socioeconomic needs and financial impact among a cohort of Egyptian women undergoing breast cancer treatment. The findings highlight the financial impact of breast cancer treatment on a cohort of Egyptian breast cancer patients and the need for a multidisciplinary approach to help them access and mitigate the costs of treatment. Recommendations include implementing patient financial navigation services and producing printed materials to inform patients of resources to help mitigate the treatment's financial impact.
BACKGROUND:Breast cancer treatment is an established cause of financial toxicity, and associated costs may contribute to higher mortality and morbidity rates. In Egypt, breast cancer incidence and mortality rates are among the highest in the Middle East. Late-stage diagnosis is common, and disease occurs at an earlier age than in Europe and North America. Out-of-pocket payments are the primary means of financing healthcare in Egypt, and socioeconomic factors have been shown to significantly impact access to cancer screening and treatment. METHODS: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted among breast cancerpatients at Ain Shams University Hospitals in Cairo from 2013 to 2015. RESULTS: One hundred women with breast cancer participated. There was a high need for financial assistance (66.0%) and patients with financial needs had great difficulty affording medications (80.0%). A number of patients had lost their jobs following diagnosis, with 32.7% employed prior to diagnosis and 15.3% afterwards. Nearly one-half of participants were classified as food insecure, and nearly one-third reported difficulty affording transportation costs. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to describe socioeconomic needs and financial impact among a cohort of Egyptian women undergoing breast cancer treatment. The findings highlight the financial impact of breast cancer treatment on a cohort of Egyptian breast cancerpatients and the need for a multidisciplinary approach to help them access and mitigate the costs of treatment. Recommendations include implementing patient financial navigation services and producing printed materials to inform patients of resources to help mitigate the treatment's financial impact.
Entities:
Keywords:
Breast cancer; Egypt; Financial toxicity; Food insecurity; Patient navigation
Authors: Suji Udayakumar; Eden Solomon; Wanrudee Isaranuwatchai; Danielle L Rodin; Yoo-Joung Ko; Kelvin K W Chan; Ambica Parmar Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2022-03-23 Impact factor: 3.603