Reports Outline Metastatic Breast Cancer Study Findings from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (Financial Burden Among Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients: a Qualitative Inquiry of Costs, Financial Assistance, Health Insurance, and …): Oncology – Metastatic Breast Cancer

2024 MAR 22 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Current study results on Oncology - Metastatic Breast Cancer have been published. According to news reporting originating from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “PurposeMetastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients often face substantial financial burden due to prolonged and expensive therapy. However, in-depth experiences of financial burden among MBC patients are not well understood.MethodsQualitative interviews were conducted to describe the experiences of financial burden for MBC patients, focusing on the drivers of financial burden, their experience using their health insurance, accessing financial assistance, and any resulting cost-coping behaviors.”

Financial support for this research came from NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, “Interviews were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed using a descriptive phenomenological approach to thematic analysis.ResultsA total of n = 11 MBC patients or caregiver representatives participated in the study. MBC patients were on average 50.2 years of age (range: 28-65) and 72.7% non-Hispanic White. MBC patients were diagnosed as metastatic an average of 3.1 years (range: 1-9) before participating in the study. Qualitative analysis resulted in four themes including (1) causes of financial burden, (2) financial assistance mechanisms, (3) health insurance and financial burden, and (4) cost-coping behaviors. Both medical and non-medical costs drove financial burden among participants. All participants reported challenges navigating their health insurance and applying for financial assistance. Regardless of gaining access to assistance, financial burden persisted for nearly all patients and resulted in cost-coping behaviors.ConclusionOur findings suggest that current systems for health insurance and financial assistance are complex and difficult to meet patient needs.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Even when MBC patients accessed assistance, excess financial burden persisted necessitating use of financial coping-behaviors such as altering medication use, maintaining employment, and taking on debt.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Financial Burden Among Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients: a Qualitative Inquiry of Costs, Financial Assistance, Health Insurance, and Financial Coping Behaviors. Cancer Causes & Control, 2024. Cancer Causes & Control can be contacted at: Springer, Van Godewijckstraat 30, 3311 Gz Dordrecht, Netherlands.

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Austin R. Waters, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Dept. of Health Policy and Management, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States. Additional authors for this research include Arrianna Marie Planey, Lisa P. Spees, Stephanie B. Wheeler, Victoria M. Petermann, Michelle Manning, Donald L. Rosenstein, Mindy Gellin, Neda Padilla, Katherine E. Reeder-Hayes and Jennifer C. Spencer.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-024-01854-8. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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