Echeverri-Herrera S, Nowels MA, Qin B, Grafova IB, Zeinomar N, Chanumolu D, Duberstein PR, Bandera EV. Spirituality and financial toxicity among Hispanic breast cancer survivors in New Jersey.
Support Care Cancer 2022;
30:9735-9741. [PMID:
36205780 DOI:
10.1007/s00520-022-07387-7]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Cancer survivors often incur significant out-of-pocket costs; this can result in financial toxicity, defined as the adverse financial impact of cancer due to direct or indirect costs related to the disease. There has been little research on whether spirituality is associated with the experience of financial toxicity. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that spirituality would be inversely associated with financial toxicity.
METHODS
We evaluated these associations in a cross-sectional study of Hispanic breast cancer survivors (n = 102) identified through the New Jersey State Cancer Registry. Participants completed the FACIT-Sp-12, which has two spirituality subscales (meaning/peace; faith). Financial toxicity was assessed using the 11-item COST measure; lower scores suggest worse toxicity. In multivariable linear regression analyses, we examined the associations between spirituality scores and financial toxicity, adjusting for age, race, education, household income, and insurance status.
RESULTS
The spirituality total score (β = 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.17, 0.8), meaning/peace subscale score (β = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.12, 1.31), and faith (β = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.2, 1.21) subscale score were all inversely associated with financial toxicity.
CONCLUSIONS
Spirituality may be an important factor in ameliorating the detrimental effects of financial toxicity among Hispanic breast cancer survivors and should be considered in interventions for financial toxicity in this population.
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