Abstract
Cancer is responsible annually for around 27% of all deaths in Spain, 15% of which are caused by colorectal cancer. This malignancy has increased its incidence considerably over the past years, which surely impacts global productivity losses. The evaluation of lost productivity due to premature mortality provides valuable information that guides healthcare policies into the establishment of prevention and screening programs. The purpose of this study was to assess the productivity losses from premature deaths due to colorectal cancer over a ten year period (2008–2017). The costs derived from premature mortality due to this highly prevalent cancer were estimated using data on mortality, age- and sex-specific reference salaries and unemployment rates in Spain via the human capital approach. Between 2008 and 2017, 15,103 persons died per year from colorectal cancer, representing almost 15% of all cancer-related deaths. Annually, 25,333 years of potential productive life were estimated to be lost on average, 14,992 in males and 10,341 in females. Productivity losses summed €510.8 million in in 2017, and the cancers of the colon and rectum accounted for 9.6% of cancer-related productivity losses in 2017 in Spain. Colorectal cancer has an important weight in terms of productivity losses within the Spanish population, consequently, prevention and early detection programmes should be promoted and implemented to achieve significant reductions in mortality and productivity losses.
Highlights
Cancer is the second most common cause of death in Europe [1], with 1.93 million people estimated to die from this disease in 2018 [2]
This study aims to assess the productivity losses derived from premature deaths due to colorectal cancer in Spain within a ten year period
The years of potential productive life lost (YPPLL) due to premature mortality from colorectal cancer were estimated by multiplying the number of colorectal cancerspecific deaths for a given age group by the expected productive years remaining for each group
Summary
Cancer is the second most common cause of death in Europe [1], with 1.93 million people estimated to die from this disease in 2018 [2]. In Spain, cancers rank as the second leading cause of mortality, being responsible annually for around 27% of all deaths [3], 15% of which were caused by colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer mortality in Spain increased between 1985 and 2004, with higher increases in males versus females and in older age groups versus younger ones [5]. To estimate the economic burden of cancer, it is essential to conduct economic evaluations that will guide healthcare policies and prevention and screening programs.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
