Financial status, employment, and insurance among older cancer survivors

Abstract

Background: Few data are available about the socioeconomic impact of cancer for long-term cancer survivors.

Objectives: To investigate socioeconomic outcomes among older cancer survivors compared to non-cancer patients.

Data source: 2002 Health and Retirement Study.

Study design: We studied 964 cancer survivors of > 4 years and 14,333 control patients who had never had cancer from a population-based sample of Americans ages >or= 55 years responding to the 2002 Health and Retirement Study.

Measures: We compared household income, housing assets, net worth, insurance, employment, and future work expectations.

Analyses: Propensity score methods were used to control for baseline differences between cancer survivors and controls.

Results: Female cancer survivors did not differ from non-cancer patients in terms of income, housing assets, net worth, or likelihood of current employment (all P > 0.20); but more were self-employed (25.0% vs. 17.7%; P = 0.03), and fewer were confident that if they lost their job they would find an equally good job in the next few months (38.4% vs. 45.9%; P = 0.03). Among men, cancer survivors and noncancer patients had similar income and housing assets (both P >or= 0.10) but differed somewhat in net worth (P = 0.04). Male cancer survivors were less likely than other men to be currently employed (25.2% vs. 29.7%) and more likely to be retired (66.9% vs. 62.2%), although the P value did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.06). Men were also less optimistic about finding an equally good job in the next few months if they lost their current job (33.5% vs. 46.9%), although this result was not significant (P = 0.11).

Conclusions: Despite generally similar socioeconomic outcomes for cancer survivors and noncancer patients ages >or=55 years, a better understanding of employment experience and pessimism regarding work prospects may help to shape policies to benefit cancer survivors.