Socioeconomic conditions among long-term gynaecological cancer survivors - A population-based case-control study

Abstract

Background: The population of gynaecological cancer survivors is growing, yet little is known about the effects of cancer and treatment on socioeconomic conditions well beyond the completion of therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the socioeconomic conditions in long-term survivors of gynaecological cancer compared with a representative group of women from the general population. Material and methods: The study comprises women aged 32-75 residing in central part of Norway and who were treated as primary cases of gynaecological cancer at the University Hospital in Trondheim, Norway (n = 160), and a control group from the general population (n = 493). All analyses were done by χ2 test and logistic regression. Results: Gynaecological cancer survivors scored lower on a Socioeconomic Condition Index than the control group. They had on the average a complete remission period of 12 years. Compared with the control group, they were more often disabled (p<0.01) and had lower annual household income (p<0.01). No difference was detected between the groups in ability to pay bills. More cases than controls had experienced problems assigning personal insurance (p<0.03). Conclusion: Long-term gynaecological cancer survivors lived under poorer socioeconomic conditions, were more often disabled and had lower annual household income than the women in the control group, whereas no difference in ability to pay bills were found between the groups. In spite of poorer socioeconomic conditions, the gynaecological cancer survivors seem to adapt well to their financial situation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.