title: Estimating the health and economic burden of cancer among those diagnosed as adolescents and young adults.
abstract: Adolescent and young adult cancer survivors-those who were ages 15-39 at their first cancer diagnosis-have important health limitations. These survivors are at risk for higher health care expenditures and lost productivity, compared to adults without a history of cancer. Using Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, we present nationally representative estimates of the economic burden among people who were diagnosed with cancer in adolescence or young adulthood. Our findings demonstrate that surviving cancer at this age is associated with a substantial economic burden. Compared to adults without a history of cancer, adolescent and young adult cancer survivors had excess annual medical expenditures of $3,170 per person and excess annual productivity losses of $2,250 per person. Multifaceted prevention strategies, including education and sustained intervention programs to ensure access to lifelong risk-based follow-up care, may be effective ways to improve the economic outcomes associated with cancer survivorship in this population.
authors.affiliation: Gery P. Guy Jr. (irm2@cdc.gov) is a health economist in the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Gery P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Guy
authors.affiliation: K. Robin Yabroff is an epidemiologist in the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute (NCI), in Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: K Robin
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Yabroff
authors.affiliation: Donatus U. Ekwueme is a senior health economist in the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, CDC.
authors.forename: Donatus U
authors.initials: DU
authors.lastname: Ekwueme
authors.affiliation: Ashley Wilder Smith is a behavioral scientist in the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, NCI.
authors.forename: Ashley Wilder
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Emily C. Dowling is program manager for the Institute for Technology Assessment, Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Emily C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Dowling
authors.affiliation: Ruth Rechis is vice president of Programs and Strategy at the LIVESTRONG Foundation, in Austin, Texas.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rechis
authors.affiliation: Stephanie Nutt is a program manager on the Research and Evaluation Team, LIVESTRONG Foundation.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nutt
authors.affiliation: Lisa C. Richardson is director of the Division of Blood Disorders, CDC.
authors.forename: Lisa C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics*; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chronic Care; Cost of Health Care; Health Economics; Public Health