Cancer causes the highest economic loss of all of the leading 15 causes of death worldwide. The economic loss includes the loss of income and the expenses associated with health care costs. The Low awareness of the community toward cancer, the inadequacy of professionals and service providers, and the high budget consuming nature of the treatments are creating a great burden on the cancer patients. The objective of this study was to calculate patient side cancer treatment cost and to assess the contributing factors, among the cancer patients who were treated at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. The health facility based cross-sectional study design was employed using a consecutive sampling technique. Questionnaires was used to collect primary data; while chart was used to collect the secondary data. Indirect costs incurred on these patients due to off job days were checked. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to illustrate the data. On average, $209.99 was spent on treatment by each cancer patients. Of these, medication cost is the highest ($20.77, IQR = 0.53-112.56) from the direct medical costs, and transportation cost is the highest ($58.33, IQR = 22.0-131.67) from the indirect medical costs. Inpatients paid $245.16 (IQR = 147.64-439.20); while outpatients paid $147.37 (IQR = 81.42-240.50). The patients lose about 55.99% of their average annual income. Outpatients pay $0, 92 less than in patients (P = 0.00, CI -0.72-0.34), and the cost increases by $0.2 for the patients who came from Oromia. The cost of transportation and medication were the one which were significantly affecting the burden; but the total cost of treatment was lesser when compared to similar studies done in different areas. The cost balances toward the patients who came from the Oromiya region. Treatment service has to be extended to West Arsi Zone to minimize the cost of transportation and awareness about cancer is needed in the first place and due attention has to be given to thyroid cancer. Furthermore, facility side study should be done to see the complete picture of the burden.
Keywords: Southern Ethiopia; cancer; cancer patients; economic burden.