Rural cancer financial toxicity screening.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Health Services Research
• Health Economics

Background:

• Cancer treatment expenses can lead to financial toxicity (FT), negatively impacting treatment adherence and patient outcomes.
• Limited data exists on FT within rural cancer populations, who face additional barriers to survey participation.
• Understanding FT in these populations is crucial for developing targeted support strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot a validated survey instrument for assessing FT in rural oncology patients undergoing radiation treatment.
• To evaluate the feasibility and data collection fidelity of administering this survey in a rural setting.
• To establish a foundation for future research on FT patterns and interventions in rural cancer care.

Main Methods:

• Prospective survey of rural oncology patients receiving radiation therapy.
• Baseline and weekly data collection on demographics, expenses, and financial toxicity using the COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity (COmSFT).
• Assessment of survey completion rates and analysis of demographic associations with FT using Mann-Whitney U test.

Main Results:

• Twenty-six elderly, predominantly male and White participants were enrolled.
• 42% were low-income, and 50% had a high school education or less; 73% were Medicare insured.
• High survey completion rates (85%) were achieved, with a mean COmSFT score of 14.0 at baseline. The minimum financially impactful amount increased from $211 to $329 during treatment.

Conclusions:

• Screening for financial toxicity is feasible and yields high-fidelity data in rural radiation oncology populations.
• This feasibility study supports further investigation into predictors of severe FT.
• Future research should focus on developing targeted interventions informed by these findings to address financial distress in rural cancer patients.