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The Financial Burden of Cancer on Families in the United States

Author

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  • Patrick Richard

    (Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA)

  • Nilam Patel

    (The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA)

  • Yuan-Chiao Lu

    (The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA)

  • Regine Walker

    (The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA)

  • Mustafa Younis

    (Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA)

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between a diagnosis of cancer and the likelihood of having any out-of-pocket costs (OOPC) and medical debt, and the amounts of OOPC and medical debt, at the household level. We used the 2013 Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a continuous, representative panel survey that collects demographic, economic, and social data in the United States. The analytic sample included head of households and their spouse (if married), 18–64 years old. Two-part models were used. The first part consisted of logistic regression models and the second part consisted of generalized linear models with logarithmic link and a gamma distribution. Logistic regression results showed odds of 2.13 (CI: 1.27, 3.57, p < 0.01) for any OOPC and odds of 1.55 (CI: 0.93, 2.58, p < 0.1) for any medical debt for households in which either the head or spouse (if married) reported a diagnosis of cancer compared to those that did not report a diagnosis of cancer. Likewise, results from the second part of the model for households with a positive amount of OOPC showed an exponentiated coefficient of 1.73 (CI: 1.33, 2.25, p < 0.01) for households in which either the head or spouse (if married) reported a diagnosis of cancer compared to households without a diagnosis of cancer. This study shows that a diagnosis of cancer places a financial burden on families, particularly with all types of debt, in the United States even after controlling for differences between households with a diagnosis of cancer and those without a diagnosis of cancer.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrick Richard & Nilam Patel & Yuan-Chiao Lu & Regine Walker & Mustafa Younis, 2021. "The Financial Burden of Cancer on Families in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-14, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:7:p:3790-:d:530435
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Patrick Richard, 2016. "The Burden of Medical Debt Faced by Households with Dependent Children in the United States: Implications for the Affordable Care Act of 2010," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 212-225, June.
    6. Amy Finkelstein & Sarah Taubman & Bill Wright & Mira Bernstein & Jonathan Gruber & Joseph P. Newhouse & Heidi Allen & Katherine Baicker, 2012. "The Oregon Health Insurance Experiment: Evidence from the First Year," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 127(3), pages 1057-1106.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gyeongseon Shin & Hye-Young Kwon & SeungJin Bae, 2022. "For Whom the Price Escalates: High Price and Uncertain Value of Cancer Drugs," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-4, April.

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