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The economic burden of caregiving on families of children and adolescents with cancer: A population‐based assessment
Author(s) -
Pagano Eva,
Baldi Ileana,
Mosso Maria Luisa,
di Montezemolo Luca Cordero,
Fagioli Franca,
Pastore Guido,
Merletti Franco
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.24904
Subject(s) - medicine , referral , childhood cancer , population , cancer , pediatric cancer , family medicine , health care , retrospective cohort study , gerontology , demography , pediatrics , environmental health , sociology , economics , economic growth
Background Childhood cancer represents a relevant economic burden on families. The preferred tool to investigate family expenditure is the retrospective questionnaire, which is subject to recall errors and selection bias. Therefore, in the present study the economic burden of caregiving on families of children and adolescents (0–19 years of age) with cancer was analysed using administrative data as an alternative to retrospective questionnaires. Procedure Incident cases of cancer diagnosed in children and adolescents in 2000–2005 (N = 917) were identified from the Piedmont Childhood Cancer Registry and linked to available administrative databases to identify episodes of care during the 3 years after diagnosis (N = 13,433). The opportunity cost of informal caregiving was estimated as the value of the time spent by one of the parents, and was assumed to be equal to the number of days during which the child received inpatient care, day‐care or outpatient radiotherapy. Factors affecting the level of economic burden of caregiving on families were analysed in a multivariable model. Results The economic burden of caregiving increased when care was supplied at the Regional Referral Centre, or when treatment complexity was high. Families with younger children had a higher level of economic burden of caregiving. Leukaemia required a higher family commitment than any other cancer considered. Conclusions Estimates of the economic burden of caregiving on families of children and adolescents with cancer derived from administrative data should be considered a minimum burden. The estimated effect of the covariates is informative for healthcare decision‐makers in planning support programmes. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014;61:1088–1093. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.