Survivors of childhood cancer face an increased risk of financial hardship
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Long-term cancer survivors often live in disadvantaged neighborhoods and report more financial problems
Along with health struggles, childhood cancer survivors may face financial challenges later in life. Researchers studied cancer survivors who lived in neighborhoods where there may be fewer doctors, delayed health care for health issues, and financial challenges for seeking care elsewhere.
Researchers surveyed 3,475 long-term childhood cancer survivors and compared their responses to 923 siblings of childhood cancer patients. People in the study completed surveys that collected information about:
- Their behavior (such as how they coped with expenses)
- What things they sacrificed and go without (like health care, medicines, dental care, or eyeglasses)
- Psychological hardships they faced (like worry and stress about financial issues)
This information was then compared with a measurement called the Area Deprivation Index, which looks at factors such as income, job, and housing based on a person’s ZIP code.
This study found that childhood cancer survivors had a higher chance of living in disadvantaged neighborhoods and facing financial hardship. The study cited the need to consider this as a potential long-term effect of cancer treatment. The researchers also suggested that improved access to services needed by patients may help ease their financial problems.
What does this mean for you?
As a childhood cancer survivor, seek help if you face financial challenges or access to the services you need. Some steps you can take are:
- Speak to your health care team and social services if you have problems getting what you need or trouble covering out-of-pocket expenses.
- If you are struggling with anxiety and worry over financial issues, speak with a licensed professional counselor, social worker, or your health care provider. They may have a sliding fee scale or know where you can find mental health providers at a reduced cost.
- Learn ways to get help for prescription costs at Medicare.gov.
Reference
Fauer AJ, Qiu W, Huang IC, Ganz PA, Casillas JN, Yabroff KR, Armstrong GT, Leisenring W, Howell R, Howell CR, Kirchhoff AC, Yasui Y, Nathan PC. Financial hardship and neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage in long-term childhood cancer survivors. JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2024 Apr 30;8(3):pkae033.