A systematic scoping review of the recent literature (∼2011-2017) about the costs of illness to parents of children diagnosed with cancer.
Sheila Judge Santacroce, Kelly R Tan, Mary K Killela
PMID 30057080WHAT IT FOUND
Parents of children with cancer reported major financial strain: travel costs, work disruptions between 77% and 94, and income drops of 5% to more than 40%.
Studies also described anxiety, fatigue, and possible poorer child outcomes.
Key findings
01Findings of recent studies imply that financial toxicity occurs in pediatric oncology and can persist beyond the active treatment phase into survivorship or bereavement.
02Across included studies, parent work disruptions ranged between 77% and 94, and in 30 to 50% of families one parent ceased paid work.
03Families reported sizeable declines of 5% to more than 40% in annual household income and new food, housing, or utility insecurity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review did not formally assess the quality of the 25 included studies, so it maps what has been studied rather than how trustworthy it is. Most included studies were cross-sectional with small samples, and only one used an experimental design that was not a fully powered randomized control trial. Study designs, populations, timing, and measures varied widely, and no study comprehensively measured all cost components, so the results cannot be combined into one reliable estimate. Fathers were underrepresented among participants, so the review may not capture their costs, risks, or work disruptions. Only English-language studies from high-income economies were included, so the findings may not apply to other settings.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the reported costs and symptoms as proof that screening, counselling, or referral reduces financial toxicity. This scoping review mapped 25 studies, did not formally assess study quality, and found no tested multi-level intervention.