Health care expenditures, hospitalizations, and productivity associated with cancer in US employer settings

Abstract

Objective: To assess outcomes of health care expenditures, hospitalizations, and productivity among employed persons with cancer in the United States from 2004 to 2008.

Methods: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data were used in this retrospective cross-sectional study of employed adults aged 18 years or older with any diagnosis of malignant neoplasms. Multivariate regression analyses assessed the study's outcomes according to prominent cancer types and other factors.

Results: Overall, 3.31 million employed persons had cancer annually, incurring productivity losses of approximately 33.4 million disability days. Women's cancers and melanoma were associated with higher burdens of illness relative to other forms.

Conclusions: This nationally representative investigation found that disability days in employed persons with cancer equates to 20% of health care expenditures. Resources present within small organizational settings may be especially important to consider when implementing programs to prevent and cure cancer.