Household Treatment Cost of Breast Cancer Disease and Cost Coping Strategy of Women, Presenting at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Objective: The study is aimed at determining the household treatment cost of breast cancer and the cost coping strategies of patients at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study involving use of the cost of -illness method to estimate the direct, indirect and intangible costs and the cost coping strategies used by patients and their households during breast cancer treatment at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Data was collected from the breast cancer clinic of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. The response rate was 97% with 74 respondents. Data collated was entered into Excel 2013 and exported to STATA 15 for analysis. The study assessed the medical and non-medical expenditure, a univariate and multivariate sensitivity analysis of cost elements, cost by reported financial and physical health status, the time loss to patients and relatives, the psychological burden of illness and the cost coping strategies adopted by households. Results: The average household expenditure was GHS 5,407.40 (medical expenditure: GHS 4,311.90, non-medical expenditure: GHS 823, indirect cost: GHS 272.40). Majority of respondents experienced a low to moderate intangible cost (97%) and the cost coping strategy mostly used by respondents is the publicly provided strategy (60% utilization rate). Conclusion: Breast cancer is diagnosed at a relatively young age in Ghana compared to the more developed countries. The direct cost of treatment makes up 95% of the total cost.