Productivity loss in Puerto Rico's labor market due to cancer mortality.
BACKGROUND
In Puerto Rico (PR), cancer is the second leading cause of death and the disease that causes most premature deaths, representing about 15% of them. Thus, premature death due to cancer decreases the productivity capacity in PR.


OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to estimate the labor-market productivity loss in PR during 2004 as a result of premature mortality due to overall cancer and cause-specific cancers.


METHODS
A model based in the incidence-based approach and in the human capital approach was developed to estimate the labor-market productivity loss. Economic data were obtained from the Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) of the PR Community Survey (PRCS). Mortality data were obtained from the Vital Statistics of the PR Department of Health.


RESULTS
The productivity costs of all cancer deaths were estimated to be approximately $64 million (in constant value). The cancer deaths that contributed the most to productivity loss were lung and bronchus, colorectal, breast, and liver and intrahepatic bile duct.


CONCLUSIONS
Although these results must be interpreted with caution, this study contributes to show a broader picture that includes the economic dimension of cancer in our society. These estimates imply that productivity cost due to cancer mortality have a great burden in PR. The leading cancer sites that generate most productivity losses are highly preventable or can be diagnosed early or are related to tobacco consumption. This study should be considered within the framework of future cost analyses for the development of health and cancer control policies.
Ortiz-Ortiz
Karen J
KJ
Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry, Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program, University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Juan, PR.
Pérez-Irizarry
Javier
J
Marín-Centeno
Heriberto
H
Ortiz
Ana P
AP
Torres-Berrios
Natalia
N
Torres-Cintrón
Mariela
M
de la Torre-Feliciano
Taína
T
Laborde-Rivera
José
J
Calo
William A
WA
Figueroa-Vallés
Nayda R
NR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000401:mortality*; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult