Susana Echeverri-Herrera1,2, Molly A Nowels3,4, Bo Qin5, Irina B Grafova3, Nur Zeinomar5, Dhanya Chanumolu5, Paul R Duberstein3, Elisa V Bandera5. 1. Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA. secheverri@unm.edu. 2. Department of Sociology and Criminology, University of New Mexico, MSC05 3080, 1915 Roma NE Ste. 1103, Albuquerque, NM, USA. secheverri@unm.edu. 3. Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA. 4. Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA. 5. Cancer Epidemiology and Health Outcomes, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, NJ, New Brunswick, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Cancer survivors often incur significant out-of-pocket costs; this can result in financial toxicity, defined as the adverse financial impact of cancer due to direct or indirect costs related to the disease. There has been little research on whether spirituality is associated with the experience of financial toxicity. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that spirituality would be inversely associated with financial toxicity. METHODS: We evaluated these associations in a cross-sectional study of Hispanic breast cancer survivors (n = 102) identified through the New Jersey State Cancer Registry. Participants completed the FACIT-Sp-12, which has two spirituality subscales (meaning/peace; faith). Financial toxicity was assessed using the 11-item COST measure; lower scores suggest worse toxicity. In multivariable linear regression analyses, we examined the associations between spirituality scores and financial toxicity, adjusting for age, race, education, household income, and insurance status. RESULTS: The spirituality total score (β = 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.17, 0.8), meaning/peace subscale score (β = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.12, 1.31), and faith (β = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.2, 1.21) subscale score were all inversely associated with financial toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Spirituality may be an important factor in ameliorating the detrimental effects of financial toxicity among Hispanic breast cancer survivors and should be considered in interventions for financial toxicity in this population.
OBJECTIVE: Cancer survivors often incur significant out-of-pocket costs; this can result in financial toxicity, defined as the adverse financial impact of cancer due to direct or indirect costs related to the disease. There has been little research on whether spirituality is associated with the experience of financial toxicity. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that spirituality would be inversely associated with financial toxicity. METHODS: We evaluated these associations in a cross-sectional study of Hispanic breast cancer survivors (n = 102) identified through the New Jersey State Cancer Registry. Participants completed the FACIT-Sp-12, which has two spirituality subscales (meaning/peace; faith). Financial toxicity was assessed using the 11-item COST measure; lower scores suggest worse toxicity. In multivariable linear regression analyses, we examined the associations between spirituality scores and financial toxicity, adjusting for age, race, education, household income, and insurance status. RESULTS: The spirituality total score (β = 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.17, 0.8), meaning/peace subscale score (β = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.12, 1.31), and faith (β = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.2, 1.21) subscale score were all inversely associated with financial toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Spirituality may be an important factor in ameliorating the detrimental effects of financial toxicity among Hispanic breast cancer survivors and should be considered in interventions for financial toxicity in this population.
Authors: Erin E Kent; Laura P Forsythe; K Robin Yabroff; Kathryn E Weaver; Janet S de Moor; Juan L Rodriguez; Julia H Rowland Journal: Cancer Date: 2013-07-31 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Kimberly A Wildes; Alexander R Miller; Sandra San Miguel de Majors; Amelie G Ramirez Journal: Psychooncology Date: 2009-08 Impact factor: 3.894