Investigators at Islamia University of Bahawalpur Zero in on Cancer (Step forward: how health insurance mitigates financial toxicity in cancer care in Pakistan): Cancer

2025 OCT 28 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Investigators publish new report on Cancer. According to news reporting originating from Bahawalpur, Pakistan, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Cancer imposes a significant financial burden on patients. This study evaluates the role of health cards in reducing financial toxicity (FT) and improving health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and psychological distress among cancer patients in Pakistan.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, “This cross-sectional study was conducted in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, between March and June 2024. A total of 672 cancer patients (336 with and 336 without health cards) were recruited using non-probability purposive sampling. FT was assessed using the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST), while HRQOL was measured using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G). The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) evaluated psychological distress. Independent t-tests showed significant differences between patients with and without health card coverage: FT significantly decrease from 7.21 to 13.24, HRQOL improve from 28.60 to 47.56, and psychological distress declined, all p< 0.001. FT correlated positively with HRQOL (r = 0.814) and negatively with depression (r = -0.222), anxiety (r = -0.475), and stress (r = -0.675), indicating strong links between financial relief and well-being (p < 0.001). MANOVA results indicated that health cards had a strong multivariate effect across all outcomes (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.060, F(5,666) = 2071.97, p< 0.001, e = 0.940). Health cards play a crucial role in reducing FT while improving HRQOL and psychological well-being among cancer patients in Pakistan.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “The findings underscore the need to expand health coverage to ensure financial protection and enhance successful treatment outcomes for vulnerable populations.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Step forward: how health insurance mitigates financial toxicity in cancer care in Pakistan. Supportive Care in Cancer, 2025;33(11):956. Supportive Care in Cancer can be contacted at: Springer, One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, Ny, United States. (Springer - www.springer.com; Supportive Care in Cancer - http://www.springerlink.com/content/0941-4355/)

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Shahid Muhammad Iqbal, Dept. of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Additional authors for this research include Wajiha Ahmad Qazi and QurratulAin Jamil.

Publisher contact information for the journal Supportive Care in Cancer is: Springer, One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, Ny, United States.

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