A cancer diagnosis can cause financial strain on patients as they cope with the cost of treatment and lost work. But what about their partners?
A new study from University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center researchers surveyed the partners of colorectal cancer patients and found the financial impact of a loved one’s diagnosis also impacts the partner’s health-related quality of life.
Researchers surveyed patients who had been treated between one and five years earlier for stage 3 colorectal cancer. They also surveyed patients’ spouses, domestic partners or significant others who lived in the same household. 307 patient-partner pairs responded. Surveys asked about:
- Financial burden, such as cutting down on spending or missing bill payments
- Debt, including unpaid bills, bank loans or borrowing money from family or friends
- Financial worry, focused on current or future financial problems from the cancer treatment
Patients and partners were both asked about health-related qualify of life factors, including physical function, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance, social roles and activities, and pain. Results are published in JAMA Network Open.
Of partners who worked full- or part-time when the patient was diagnosed, 39% missed between one week and one month of work and 38% said they lost income due to the person’s cancer.
Almost two-thirds of partners reported financial burden, including cutting down on expenses, activities, food or clothes, or using savings. About a third of partners had high financial worry, which increased the more they lost income or missed work. And 29% of partners reported debt related to the cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Across the seven health-related quality of life issues, financial toxicity was consistently associated with worse quality of life factors. Partners described financial toxicity as primarily related to health insurance and employment status. But they also reported extra emotional spending, disrupted social lives, having to ask family and friends for help with medical expenses, and worry over what could have been if they hadn’t had insurance.
Younger partners were significantly more likely to report financial burden and debt, which is striking as rates of colorectal cancer among younger adults has increased in recent years.
