Quantifying the Effect of Financial Burden on Health-Related Quality of Life among Patients with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas

Simple Summary Financial burdens result from the growing out-of-pocket costs associated with cancer care to help patients regain physical and psychological health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are dramatically intensified. The aim of our study was to assess the association of HRQoL with financial burden using both subjective and objective methods among patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in China. A majority of the patients reported suffering moderate to high financial burdens. A significant relationship between increased financial burden and reduced HRQoL was identified. Patients tended to report a poorer HRQoL when using objective method than using subjective method to estimate financial burden. Medical professionals should involve patients and their families into the clinical decision making and provide them cost-effective plans. Objective: This study aimed to assess the association of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with financial burden among patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in China. Methods: The data used for the analyses came from a nationwide survey to investigate the health status of patients with lymphomas in China. The EQ-5D and EORTC QLQ-C30 were used to assess the patients' HRQoL. The financial burden was calculated using both subjective and objective methods. The chi-squared test, Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance, ordinal least squared model, and Tobit regression model were used to estimate the relationship between financial burden and HRQoL. Results: Data from 1549 patients who reported living with 11 subtypes of NHL were elicited for our analysis. Approximately 60% of respondents reported suffering moderate to high financial burdens. A significant relationship between increased financial burden and reduced HRQoL scores, including the EQ-Index, physical, emotional, and social functioning, was identified. Compared with using an objective method to measure financial burden, patients with NHL indicated a poorer HRQoL when using a subjective method to measure financial burden. Conclusion: Medical professionals should select highly cost-effective treatments and ensure that patients understand the potential financial consequences of those treatments.