Cancer Survivors’ Long-Term Health Service Costs in Queensland, Australia: Results of a Population-Level Data Linkage Study (Cos-Q)

Katharina M. D. Merollini, Louisa G. Gordon, Yiu M. Ho, Joanne F. Aitken and Michael G. Kimlin
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Katharina M. D. Merollini: School of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD 4558, Australia
Louisa G. Gordon: Health Economics, Population Health Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
Yiu M. Ho: Rockhampton Hospital, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Rockhampton, QLD 4700, Australia
Joanne F. Aitken: School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
Michael G. Kimlin: School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-17

Abstract: Worldwide, the number of cancer survivors is rapidly increasing. The aim of this study was to quantify long-term health service costs of cancer survivorship on a population level. The study cohort comprised residents of Queensland, Australia, diagnosed with a first primary malignancy between 1997 and 2015. Administrative databases were linked with cancer registry records to capture all health service utilization. Health service costs between 2013–2016 were analyzed using a bottom-up costing approach. The cumulative mean annual healthcare expenditure (2013–2016) for the cohort of N = 230,380 individuals was AU$3.66 billion. The highest costs were incurred by patients with a history of prostate (AU$538 m), breast (AU$496 m) or colorectal (AU$476 m) cancers. Costs by time since diagnosis were typically highest in the first year after diagnosis and decreased over time. Overall mean annual healthcare costs per person (2013–2016) were AU$15,889 (SD: AU$25,065) and highest costs per individual were for myeloma (AU$45,951), brain (AU$30,264) or liver cancer (AU$29,619) patients. Our results inform policy makers in Australia of the long-term health service costs of cancer survivors, provide data for economic evaluations and reinforce the benefits of investing in cancer prevention.

Keywords: cancer survivors; health service use; costs and cost analysis; health economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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