Greater financial toxicity correlates with increased psychological distress and lower quality of life among Turkish cancer patients

• DOI: 10.1007/s00520-023-07586-w
• Publication Date: 2023-01-26T07:02:36Z
• Authors: Kadriye Bir Yücel; Zeynep Irem Özay; Osman Sütcüoğlu; Ozan Yazıcı; Aytug Üner; Nazan Günel; Ahmet Özet; Gözde Savaş; Nuriye Özdemir
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Turkey; Surveys and Questionnaires; Neoplasms; Quality of Life; Humans; Female; Financial Stress; 3. Good health

This study aims to investigate the factors that influence financial toxicity and its effects on both quality of life and psychological distress in Turkish cancer patients.Data from 400 cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at a public university in Turkey was analyzed. The Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST), Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression and Anxiety (PHQ-4), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) were used to measure financial toxicity, psychological distress, and health quality of life, respectively.Patients' median COST score was 22 (SD = 10.1; range: 1-44) and was consistent with mild financial toxicity. Financial toxicity was associated with lower education level (p < 0.001), lower monthly income (p < 0.001), being a woman (p = 0.021), living in another city (p = 0.012), and previous cancer surgery (p = 0.02). A negative and statistically significant correlation was found between financial toxicity and quality of life (r = - 0.139; p = 0.005) and psychological distress (r = - 0.398; p < 0.001).This investigation demonstrated that financial toxicity was a significant determinant of quality of life and psychological distress.