Financial and Work Burdens among Rural Cancer Survivors

• In Event: 2184 - Section on Medical Sociology Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 13. The Illness Experience

Abstract

Many cancer survivors face significant financial and work burdens as a result of cancer treatment and its effects. There is a dearth of research on financial and work burdens among rural cancer survivors, and we know almost nothing about disparities in these burdens in rural cancer survivor populations. The current study assesses disparities in treatment-related financial and work burdens for cancer survivors living in rural areas of Illinois by demographic, geographic, and cancer history factors. Overall, we find that marital status, cancer site, and rurality are associated with treatment-related work burdens. Specifically, unmarried survivors are more likely, and survivors who had breast cancer and those who live in non-metro geographic areas are less likely, to have stopped work during cancer treatment. A larger and more gender and racially-diverse sample is required to assess treatment-related financial and work burden disparities among rural cancer survivors.

Authors

• Emily Hallgren, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Leslie Carnahan, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Kristine Zimmermann, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Yamile Molina, University of Illinois at Chicago