Abstract

NIETO CORONEL, Maria T  and  ORELLANA CARO, Vanesa R. Perception of the economic impact in patients diagnosed with cancer in a third level hospital, La Paz-Bolivia: a qualitative exploratory study. Cuad. - Hosp. Clín. [online]. 2023, vol.64, n.2, pp.44-51. ISSN 1562-6776.

Abstract Cancerpatients experience, is about disease's and economic impact, and this impact is more evident in patients with limited economic resources in low-income countries, the reasons are multifactorial. Objective: Describe the perception of the economic impact on Bolivian patients with cancer at the Hospital de Clínicas Universitario La Paz. Methods: The design is qualitative and exploratory, sampling was by snowball, in-depth interviews were conducted at cancer patients at the Clínicas Universitario de La Paz hospital - Bolivia between December 2018 and February 2019. Results: 11 patients and 9 family members were interviewed. The impact of expenses on cancer patients has been identified in the following categories: Savings and debts, housing, work, family, treatment, psychological sphere, future expenses, and caring for other patients at home. Perceptions are variable, some patients show more significant concern about their finances than about their illness, and theyalso report the change that receiving the diagnosis of cancer meant in their finances in different areas. Conclusion: In this investigation, the perception of economic impact on cancer patients is multidimensional. It has also been shown that the impact depends on the stage of the disease, and the social context in which the patient lives, this being variable and resulting in variable support needs from the oncology teams

Keywords : Economic impact; cancer patient; quality of life.

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