Cost Drivers and Financial Burden for Cancer-Affected Families in China: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This systematic review examined cancer care costs, the financial burden for patients, and their economic coping strategies in mainland China. We included 38 quantitative studies that reported out-of-pocket payment for cancer care and patients’ coping strategies in English or Chinese (PROSPERO: CRD42021273989). We searched PubMed, Embase, Ovid, Web of Science, Cochrane, CNKI, and Wanfang Data from 1 January 2009 to 10 August 2022. We referred to the standards for reporting observational studies to assess the methodological quality and transparent reporting of the included studies and reported the costs narratively. Annual mean medical costs (including inpatient and outpatient costs and fees for self-purchasing drugs) ranged from USD 7421 to USD 10,297 per patient. One study investigated medical costs for 5 years and indicated that inpatient costs accounted for 51.6% of the total medical costs, followed by self-purchasing drugs (43.9%). Annual medical costs as a percentage of annual household income ranged from 36.0% to 63.1% with a metaproportion of 51.0%. The common coping strategies included borrowing money and reduction of household expenses and expenses from basic health services. Costs of inpatient care and self-purchasing drugs are major drivers of medical costs for cancer care, and many affected households shoulder a very heavy financial burden.