"Aftermath": Financial Resource Requirements of Young Adults Moving Forward After Cancer Treatment.

Purpose: Young adults (YAs) are at greater risk for cancer-related financial toxicity than other age groups. They are simultaneously dealing with cancer and normative developmental tasks (establishing independence, completing education, and beginning careers) and may go without needed medications, follow-up, and even food or housing because of cancer-related financial toxicity. This study explored the financial resources required for YAs to move forward after cancer treatment. Methods: To identify and describe the financial challenges experienced by YA cancer survivors and the impact on their lives and overall development, we used secondary analysis of essays written by Samfund grant recipients. Directed content analysis allowed identification of salient categories from the essays of 104 YAs aged 17-39 years who received financial assistance between 2012 and 2013. Permission was secured before analysis. Results: To move forward after cancer treatment, YAs state that they require enough financial resources to meet immediate needs, support future goals, facilitate self-care, and enable normative development. Conclusions: Assessing the financial status of YAs with cancer is vital because many YAs lack resources to fund their basic needs and to move forward with independent living after cancer therapy. Interventions to identify and mitigate financial toxicity in YAs have the potential to reduce treatment nonadherence and poor follow-up due to insufficient financial resources in this at-risk population.

The cost of cancer: a retrospective analysis of the financial impact of cancer on young adults.

Young adult cancer survivors (YAs) are confronted with immense financial challenges in the wake of their treatment. Medical bills and loss of savings may cause YAs to forgo recommended medications or follow-up appointments. Young survivors with financial concerns also report depression, stress and anxiety. The Samfund is a national nonprofit organization that provides financial support to YAs post-treatment. To quantify the financial burden of cancer in YAs, a retrospective analysis was performed of data collected from Samfund grant applications of 334 YA cancer survivors. Grants were awarded between 2007 and 2013 and grant recipients were consented electronically in 2014 for retrospective data analysis. Recipients ranged from 19 to 39 years of age at the time of their grant applications. Descriptive statistics were calculated and compared to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) and U.S. census data on age-matched peers. Financial indicators of YA cancer survivors are worse in many domains than those of age-matched controls. Furthermore, YA survivors in their 30s report more perilous prefunding financial situations than younger grant recipients. Cancer has a devastating and age-specific impact on the finances of YAs. Philanthropic grants from the cancer support community, in conjunction with healthcare policy reforms, have the potential to break the cycle of financial need and help YAs move forward with their lives after cancer treatment.