"Cancer Patients Losing Hope Due to 'Financial Toxicity'... Half Complain of Uncertainty"

Samsung Seoul Hospital Professors Jo Juhee and Kang Danbi Research Team
"Financial Support and Psychological Counseling Needed for Cancer Patients"

Professor Jo Ju-hee, Cancer Education Center, Samsung Medical Center, and Professor Kang Dan-bi, Clinical Epidemiology Research Center.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] A study has revealed that cancer patients experience a precarious situation where their lives are completely shaken just by worrying about the burden of medical expenses. This is due to ‘Financial Toxicity’ caused by cancer, which is identified as a major factor that robs cancer patients of hope and purpose in life.

According to Samsung Medical Center on the 14th, a research team led by Professor Jo Joo-hee of the Cancer Education Center and Professor Kang Dan-bi of the Clinical Epidemiology Research Center conducted a survey on 727 cancer survivors who overcame cancer between October 2017 and March 2018 at Samsung Medical Center and Hwasun Chonnam National University Hospital, supported by the Cancer Conquest Promotion Planning Group, to examine how financial toxicity affects life.

Financial toxicity is a concept created by the American Cancer Society that encompasses not only the material aspects such as depletion of savings due to medical expenses but also the psychological aspects including stress and worry. It is known that cancer patients are 2.5 times more likely to be exposed to such financial toxicity than the general population.

The study found that the average age of the 727 cancer survivors was 54, representing the household with the highest income and expenditure, unexpectedly facing the variable of cancer when needed. Among them, 26% reported being in a state of psychological financial toxicity, such as worry, anxiety, and stress about medical expenses. Additionally, 12% reported having experienced material financial toxicity due to actual household difficulties.

Among those in material and psychological financial toxicity states, nearly half (47.2%) complained of uncertainty about life. Even among those who reported psychological financial toxicity without immediate household problems, the rate of complaining about uncertainty reached 34.6%. This is 4.9 times higher compared to those who reported no psychological burden.

The proportion of people who said they lost their purpose and hope in life showed a similar trend. Those who reported psychological financial toxicity without actual material difficulties were 1.9 times and 2.5 times more likely, respectively, to say they lost their purpose and hope in life compared to those who did not. Professor Jo Joo-hee said, “When faced with the unexpected situation of cancer, the stress caused by sudden medical expenses makes it difficult to plan and prepare for the future,” adding, “It is necessary to consult with medical staff and prepare a financial expenditure plan for cancer treatment from the early stages of cancer diagnosis.”

This study was introduced in the international academic journal 'Supportive Care in Cancer,' which covers multidisciplinary cancer treatment.

Meanwhile, Samsung Medical Center has established a counseling program with professional social workers for cancer patients experiencing financial difficulties. In particular, they have developed measurement tools to investigate financial toxicity and are also operating a cancer patient workplace return program.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.