Financial Toxicity in Cancer Patients and Subsequent Risk of Repeat Acute Care Utilization

Authors

Julia J Shi
J Alberto Maldonado
Chi-Fang Wu
Susan K Peterson
Ying-Shiuan Chen
Kevin Diao
Robert J Volk
Sharon H Giordano
Ya-Chen T Shih
Kelsey Kaiser
Grace L Smith

Publication Date

1-1-2023

Journal

Frontiers in Psychology

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Acute care (AC) visits by cancer patients are costly sources of healthcare resources and can exert a financial burden of oncology care both for individuals with cancer and healthcare systems. We sought to identify whether cancer patients who reported more severe initial financial toxicity (FT) burdens shouldered excess risks for acute care utilization.

METHODS: In 225 adult patients who participated in the Economic Strain and Resilience in Cancer (ENRICh) survey study of individuals receiving ambulatory cancer care between March and September 2019, we measured the baseline FT (a multidimensional score of 0-10 indicating the least to most severe global, material, and coping FT burdens). All AC visits, including emergency department (ED) and unplanned hospital admissions, within 1-year follow-up were identified. The association between the severity of FT and the total number of AC visits was tested using Poisson regression models.

RESULTS: A total of 18.6% (

CONCLUSION: In this prospective study of acute oncology care utilization outcomes among adult cancer patients, FT was a predictor of a higher burden of acute care visits. Patients with severely depleted material and also practical and social coping resources were at particular risk for repeated visits. Future studies are needed to identify whether early FT screening and intervention efforts may help to mitigate urgent acute care utilization burdens.

Keywords

financial toxicity, cancer, acute care, emergency department, screening

Comments

Supplementary Materials

PMID: 37663351