@article { author = {Aminuddin, Farhana and Bahari, Mohd Shahri and Zainuddin, Nur Azmiah and Mohd Hanafiah, Ainul Nadziha and Mohd Hassan, Nor Zam Azihan}, title = {The Direct and Indirect Costs of Cancer among the Lower-Income Group: Estimates from a Pilot and Feasibility Study}, journal = {Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention}, volume = {24}, number = {2}, pages = {489-496}, year = {2023}, publisher = {West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.}, issn = {1513-7368}, eissn = {2476-762X}, doi = {10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.2.489}, abstract = {Background: Healthcare in Malaysia is largely publicly funded, however, cancer could still result in out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses, which may burden the affected patients. This is especially relevant to those in the lower-income group. This pilot study was conducted to estimate the direct and indirect costs of cancer and evaluate the feasibility of obtaining these costs information from the lower-income cancer patients undergoing treatment. Methods: A cross-sectional study of patients with cancer was conducted in Hospital Kuala Lumpur between September and October 2020. Self-reported data from the patients were collected using face-to-face interviews. Detailed information about cancer-related OOP expenses including direct medical, direct non-medical, and productivity loss in addition to financial coping strategies were collected. Costs data were estimated and reported as average annual total costs per patient. Results: The mean total cost of cancer was estimated at MYR 7955.39 (US$ 1893.46) per patient per year. The direct non-medical cost was the largest contributor to the annual cost, accounting for 46.1% of the total cost. This was followed by indirect costs and direct medical costs at 36.0% and 17.9% of the total annual costs, respectively. Supplemental food and transportation costs were the major contributors to the total non-medical costs. The most frequently used financial coping strategies were savings and financial support received from relatives and friends. Conclusion: This study showed that estimation of the total cost of cancer from the patient’s perspective is feasible. Considering the significant impact of direct non-medical and indirect costs on the total costs, it is vital to conduct further exploration of its cost drivers and variations using a larger sample size. }, keywords = {cancer,direct medical cost,direct non-medical cost,indirect cost,lower-income group}, url = {https://journal.waocp.org/article_90483.html}, eprint = {https://journal.waocp.org/article_90483_736e19fee84ab2f78ab0d8109be0d828.pdf} }