Financial stress and strain associated with terminal cancer - A review of the evidence



Hanratty, Barbara, Holland, Paula, Jacoby, Ann and Whitehead, Margaret ORCID: 0000-0001-5614-6576
(2007) Financial stress and strain associated with terminal cancer - A review of the evidence. PALLIATIVE MEDICINE, 21 (7). pp. 595-607.

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Abstract

Financial circumstances are a significant influence on the quality of life for older people and may be important to health and wellbeing at the end of life. The aim of this study is to review the evidence for the existence and consequences of financial stress and strain at the end of life for people dying with cancer. We conducted a systematic search of four electronic databases for studies, providing data on illness-related financial burden (stress), or perception of financial hardship (strain), from patients with terminal cancer or their caregivers. Twenty-four papers were identified from 21 studies published in English between 1980 and 2006, the majority (14) of cross-sectional design. Financial stress was reported in all 13 studies from the USA (median 33%, range 10-66%), but only four sought measures of financial strain. In the USA, specific social consequences, such as moving house or change in employment to cope with caregiving, were reported in four of these studies; one of these also noted changes in treatment choices and avoidance of care for other family members. In studies from outside the USA, there is a dearth of data on financial stresses and the consequences of this for the household, despite widespread reporting of financial strain. To fill a gap in our understanding and improve holistic palliative care, researchers need to ask the questions about the consequences of financial stresses and strain for the health and wellbeing of the household.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: MATCHED FROM WOS ## TULIP Type: Articles/Papers (Journal) ##
Uncontrolled Keywords: caregivers, economics, family, neoplasms, socioeconomic factors, terminal care, terminally ill
Subjects: ?? RA ??
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Population Health
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 14 Feb 2011 15:31
Last Modified: 16 Dec 2022 04:33
DOI: 10.1177/0269216307082476
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/1097