McNulty Julie, Khera Nandita
, 500 N 3rd St, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA,
Curr Hematol Malig Rep. 2015 Sep;10(3):205-12. doi: 10.1007/s11899-015-0266-1.
The substantial economic burden of cancer is increasingly being shifted to patients. Financial burden experienced by patients as a result of medical treatment has an impact on their lifestyle choices, health behaviors, and quality of life. Variation in treatment recommendations based on the patients' economic status or affordability may be against the basic tenet of social justice and is a growing challenge for policy makers. This review summarizes the multifaceted constructs and current trends associated with financial hardship within the context of cancer care and healthcare economics focusing mainly on hematological malignancies but supplemented by nonhematological cancer and general medical literature. We also highlight the patient and physician perspectives about this issue and identify important areas for future research. We discuss the need for more proactive solutions so that patients can achieve good clinical outcomes, without catastrophic financial consequences for themselves and their families.
癌症带来的巨大经济负担正日益转由患者承担。患者因接受治疗而承受的经济负担会影响他们的生活方式选择、健康行为及生活质量。基于患者经济状况或支付能力的治疗建议差异可能有悖社会公平的基本原则，这对政策制定者而言是一项日益严峻的挑战。本综述总结了癌症护理及卫生保健经济学背景下与经济困难相关的多方面构成要素及当前趋势，主要聚焦血液系统恶性肿瘤，但也补充了非血液系统癌症及一般医学文献的内容。我们还强调了患者和医生对这一问题的看法，并确定了未来研究的重要领域。我们讨论了采取更积极主动解决方案的必要性，以便患者能够取得良好的临床结果，同时不会给自己及其家人带来灾难性的经济后果。
