The patient co-payment and opportunity costs of accessing healthcare for Indigenous Australians with cancer: a whole of population data linkage study.
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Date
2019-08-02
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
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Affiliation(s)
(Callander, Bates) Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
(Bates, Lindsay, Topp) College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
(Larkins, Preston) College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
(Cunningham, Garvey) Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia
(Bates, Lindsay, Topp) College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
(Larkins, Preston) College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
(Cunningham, Garvey) Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia
Year
2019
Citation
Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology. Vol.15(6), 2019, pp. 309-315.
Journal
Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology
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Grant information
Organisation: (MSHR) Menzies School of Health Research Organisation No: 100012661 Country: Australia
No: #1041111 Organisation: (NHMRC) National Health and Medical Research Council Organisation No: 501100000925 Country: Australia
No: #1058244 Organisation: (NHMRC) National Health and Medical Research Council Organisation No: 501100000925 Country: Australia
No: #1105399 Organisation: (NHMRC) National Health and Medical Research Council Organisation No: 501100000925 Country: Australia
No: #SRP 13-01 Organisation: Cancer Council NSW Organisation No: 501100001102 Country: Australia
No: #1041111 Organisation: (NHMRC) National Health and Medical Research Council Organisation No: 501100000925 Country: Australia
No: #1058244 Organisation: (NHMRC) National Health and Medical Research Council Organisation No: 501100000925 Country: Australia
No: #1105399 Organisation: (NHMRC) National Health and Medical Research Council Organisation No: 501100000925 Country: Australia
No: #SRP 13-01 Organisation: Cancer Council NSW Organisation No: 501100001102 Country: Australia
Abstract
Aim: To quantify the direct out-of-pocket patient co-payments and time opportunity costs (length of hospital stay) incurred by Indigenous and non-Indigenous persons diagnosed with cancer during the first year postdiagnosis. Method(s): CancerCostMod was used, which is a model of cancer costs based upon a whole-of-population data linkage. The base population was a census of all persons diagnosed with cancer in Queensland, Australia between 1 July 2011 and 30 June 2012 (n = 25,553). Individual records were linked to corresponding Queensland Health Admitted Patient Data Collection, Emergency Data Information System, Medicare Benefits Schedule, and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme records between 1 July 2011 and 30 June 2015. Queensland data were weighted to be representative of the Australian population (approximately 123,900 Australians, 1.7% Indigenous Australians). Result(s): After adjusting for age, sex, rurality, area-based deprivation, and cancer group, Indigenous Australians accrued significantly less in postdiagnosis patient co-payments at 0-6 months (61% less) and 7-12 months (63% less). Indigenous Australians also had significantly fewer postdiagnosis hospitalizations at 0-6 months (21% fewer) and 7-12 months (27% fewer). Conclusion(s): There is growing concern regarding the financial burden of cancer to the patient. The time spent away from family and their community may also have an important time opportunity cost, which may affect a person's decision to undertake or continue treatment. This is the first study in Australia to identify the financial cost of co-payments for Indigenous people with cancer, as well as the number and length of hospitalizations as drivers of time opportunity costs.Copyright © 2019 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
PubMed ID
31313475 [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=31313475]
Type
Article
Study type
Observational study (cohort, case-control, cross sectional, or survey)
Subjects
Cancer
Health economics
Health economics