ArticleCurrent oncology (Toronto, Ont.)2024
Patient and Family Financial Burden in Cancer: A Focus on Differences across Four Provinces, and Reduced Spending Including Decisions to Forego Care in Canada.
Article in Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Exploring the Impact of Gender and Income on Concerns Reported by Cancer Survivors Aged ≥85 Years in Canada: A Secondary Analysis of the Canadian Transitions Survey.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2026Article
- COVID-19 impacts on the breast cancer care pathway among systemically marginalized communities in Ontario.Cancer causes & control : CCC · 2025Article
- A Phenomenological Approach to Financial Toxicity: The-Economic-Side Effect of Cancer.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
goalThis study aimed to examine provincial differences in patient spending for cancer care and reductions in household spending including decisions to forego care in Canada.
methodsNine-hundred and one patients with cancer, from twenty cancer centers across Canada, completed a self-administered questionnaire (P-SAFE version 7.2.4) (344 breast, 183 colorectal, 158 lung, and 216 prostate) measuring direct and indirect costs and spending changes.
resultsProvincial variations showed a high mean out-of-pocket cost (OOPC) of CAD 938 (Alberta) and a low of CAD 280 (Manitoba). Differences were influenced by age and income. Income loss was highest for Alberta (CAD 2399) and lowest for Manitoba (CAD 1126). Travel costs were highest for Alberta (CAD 294) and lowest for British Columbia (CAD 67). Parking costs were highest for Ontario (CAD 103) and lowest for Manitoba (CAD 53). A total of 41% of patients reported reducing spending, but this increased to 52% for families earning <CAD 50,000 per year. The highest national rates of decisions to forego care were in relation to vitamins/supplements, the selection made by 21.3% of those who indicated spending reductions. Reductions for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) were made by 16.3%, and for drugs, by 12.8%. Most cost categories had higher proportions of individuals who decided to forego care when family income was <CAD 50,000 per year and for patients under 65 years of age.
conclusionsLevels of financial burden for patients with cancer in Canada vary provincially, including for OOPC, travel and parking costs, and lost income. Decisions to forego cancer care are highest in relation to vitamins/supplements, CAM, and drugs. Provincial differences suggest that regional health policies and demographics may impact patients' overall financial burden.
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