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Cancer Control Research

Abstract

The ultimate aims of this research are to ascertain whether cancer exacts a long-term or continuing economic toll from survivors and their families and, if it does, to identify key factors that either raise or lower that toll in order to facilitate the design of cost-minimizing interventions. A small scale study focusing on female breast cancer survivors is proposed here as a first step in this research effort. The study sample will be comprised of approximately 100 women who were treated for breast cancer at a single center at some point prior to 1993 and another 100 women matched on age and labor market status at the same point in time who have never had malignant disease. A face-to-face interview will be conducted with each case and control subject to obtain information needed to estimate the "indirect morbidity costs" of breast cancer. This information includes retrospective work histories over the previous five or more years to test whether there are significant differences between cases and controls in work effort or labor market attachment, profiles of market earnings and job-related benefits to test whether there is evidence of discrimination against cancer survivors, and retrospective work histories of household members to ascertain whether breast cancer affects the earnings and wealth position of those household members as well. Survey data will be used to estimate the dollar value of these economic losses. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses will then be conducted to assess whether the magnitude of the losses differs significantly between cases and controls. Implications of the empirical findings for designing and evaluating cancer control interventions will be discussed in some detail.