Labour Productivity Losses Associated with Breast Cancer: An Analysis Along A Decade in Spain

Abstract

In Spain, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed tumor in women, with an estimated prevalence of 104,210 cases, being the leading cause of death in tumors in women with more than 6,000 annual deaths. A relevant aspect of this disease is, given the average age of the women affected, its negative impact on the work environment. The main aim is to estimate the labour losses associated with breast cancer in women in Spain along a decade: 2005-2014. Data was collected from several official sources (Registration of Deaths, Labor Force Survey and Wage Structure Survey). All of them were conducted by National Statistics Institute from the 2005 to 2014. It was performed simulation models based on the human capital approach to estimate labour productivity losses flows due to premature deaths, adjusted by employment and wage rates for each age group. It was calculated years of potential productive life lost (YPLL). A total of 61,445 women died due breast cancer in the period considered (22,716 of death in working age). The total YPLL is estimated in 292,848. The estimated productivity losses amounted to 2,137.32 million throughout the period (base year 2014). This figure range between 1,672.59 to 2,907.34 in the sensibility analysis. Breast cancer caused the 3.3% of total women deaths, the 11.7% of total women deceases in working age and the 10.0% of total YPLL and the 10.45% of women labour productivity losses estimated in the period considered. In spite of therapeutic advances produced in the last decade, breast cancer caused a strong impact in terms of premature deaths, years of potential productive life lost and labour productivity losses in women. The results obtained might be useful to improve knowledge about the economic impact of such disease and to incorporate this information into economic assessments into social perspective.