The financial burden of cancer treatment on patients and families in Canada

The results of a national study of the financial impact that being treated for cancer has on Canadian patients and families will be analyzed by CHEPA member Dr. Christopher Longo, Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Degroote School of Business, at a seminar on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020.

The impact of a cancer diagnosis goes beyond the clinical and emotional complexities to include impacts on patient and family financial security, with those in low income populations or who lack private health insurance more severely affected. Longo’s seminar, entitled “A National study evaluating patient and family financial burden associated with cancer treatment in Canada” will describe the results of research that evaluated the financial burden experienced by 901 patients from BC (131) Alberta (113), Manitoba (134), Ontario (472), and “rest of Canada” (51), including 344 breast, 183 colorectal, 158 lung and 216 prostate patients, with an average treatment duration of 318 days.

The research found that the financial cost of a cancer diagnosis nationally averages $2723 per month. These results suggest an increase in Ontario of more than 200% in financial costs of a cancer diagnosis since 2003. Moreover, financial decisions to forego care appear to be high for a largely publicly funded healthcare system.
All are welcome to attend this seminar in person. It will also be streamed via Webex. The password is CHEPAseminar.

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https://mcmaster.webex.com/mcmaster/j.php?MTID=m033b8ab8a436a9517f1a75506976ffbc