Association of Personal Credit Data With Financial Hardship and Treatment Outcomes in Patients With Multiple Myeloma

Financial difficulty among patients with multiple myeloma (MM) is linked to reduced treatment adherence and worse outcomes. However, it is usually measured through patient questionnaires, which may be inconsistently offered or poorly completed. We hypothesized that credit data could detect financial difficulty and assessed its relationship with treatment outcomes.

We conducted retrospective analyses using an integrated database with cancer registry data, insurance claims, and credit data for Western Washington State patients with MM diagnosed between 2012 to 2020. Financial difficulty was categorized into 4 tiers using credit attributes at diagnosis ("financial fragility") and during 2-year follow-up ("financial hardship"). We examined associations between financial fragility and suboptimal treatment, and identified predictors of financial hardship.

Among 396 MM patients, 35%, 38%, 5%, and 20% had no, mild, moderate, and severe financial fragility at diagnosis. Those with moderate/severe fragility were more likely to have delayed treatment initiation or interruptions (OR 1.67, 95% CI, 0.99-2.81, P = .06). Among 290 patients with 2-year follow-up, 69% showed no change in financial hardship from baseline. Financial fragility at diagnosis strongly predicted higher levels of future hardship (OR: 25.0, 95% CI, 11.17-56.13, P < .001). Patients receiving autologous transplant within the first year had lower odds of future hardship (OR 0.33, 95% CI, 0.12-0.90, P = .03).

Financial fragility at diagnosis is associated with suboptimal MM treatment and predict future hardship. Credit data could offer an alternative method to identify patients at risk.