The impact of financial toxicity on quality of life in older patients with cancer: Baseline data from the University of Rochester NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP).

Abstract

87 Background: Financial toxicity (FT), or the stress and strain patients (pts) experience as a result of paying for cancer care, can have profound negative impacts on pts’ overall quality of life (QoL). This study examined associations of FT with anxiety, depression, and QoL in older pts with advanced cancer. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of baseline data from a Geriatric Assessment intervention study conducted by UR NCORP across 31 practice sites (PI: Mohile). Pts were categorized as experiencing FT if they reported any one of the following: delaying medications due to cost, insufficient income in a typical month for food and housing, or insufficient income in a typical month for other basic needs. Pts also completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD7, score 0-21) to evaluate anxiety, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS, score 0-15) to assess depression, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy- Generation (FACT-G, score 0-108), to measure overall QoL. Associations of FT with anxiety, depression, and QoL were assessed in separate multivariate linear regression models controlling for covariates at p < 0.1. Results: Among 542 pts (mean age 77; range 70-96, 49% female), 18% (98 pts) experienced FT. In separate regression analysis, FT was significantly associated with all 3 outcome measures. On average, pts experiencing FT scored 1.76 higher (p < 0.01) on the GAD7 (indicating greater anxiety severity), 0.76 points higher (p = 0.02) on the GDS (indicating greater depression severity), and 5.16 points lower (p < 0.01) on the FACT-G (indicating lower QoL). Conclusions: Older pts with advanced cancer who experience income and cost-related barriers to quality cancer care reported worse anxiety, depression, and QoL than those without FT. Given the association between FT and these outcomes, these 3 FT questions may help identify vulnerable older pts and allow providers to intervene sooner and thereby enhance the quality of care pts receive.