title: Productivity loss due to premature mortality caused by blood cancer: a study based on patients undergoing stem cell transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stem cell transplantation has been used for many years to treat haematological malignancies that could not be cured by other treatments. Despite this medical breakthrough, mortality rates remain high. Our purpose was to evaluate labour productivity losses associated with premature mortality due to blood cancer in recipients of stem cell transplantations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected primary data from the clinical histories of blood cancer patients who had undergone stem cell transplantation between 2006 and 2011 in two Spanish hospitals. We carried out a descriptive analysis and calculated the years of potential life lost and years of potential productive life lost. Labour productivity losses due to premature mortality were estimated using the Human Capital method. An alternative approach, the Friction Cost method, was used as part of the sensitivity analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our findings suggest that, in a population of 179 transplanted and deceased patients, males and people who die between the ages of 30 and 49 years generate higher labour productivity losses. The estimated loss amounts to over €31.4 million using the Human Capital method (€480,152 using the Friction Cost method), which means an average of €185,855 per death. The highest labour productivity losses are produced by leukaemia. However, lymphoma generates the highest loss per death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further efforts are needed to reduce premature mortality in blood cancer patients undergoing transplantations and reduce economic losses.
authors: Applied Economic Department, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. Electronic address: mortega2@ugr.es.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Ortega-Ortega
authors: Economic Analysis Department and REDISSEC, University of Castilla La-Mancha, Castilla La-Mancha, Toledo, Spain.
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Oliva-Moreno
authors: Applied Economic Department, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors: Juan de Dios
authors: Jde D
authors: Jiménez-Aguilera
authors: Haematology Department, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Romero-Aguilar
authors: Haematology Department, University Hospital Virgen del Rocío, University of Seville, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville, Seville, Spain.
authors: Ildefonso
authors: I
authors: Espigado-Tocino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061213:Mortality, Premature; D013030:Spain; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cost of illness; Coste de enfermedad; Costes indirectos; Enfermedades hematológicas malignas; Haematological malignancies; Haematopoietic cell transplantation; Indirect costs; Labour productivity; Mortalidad prematura; Premature death; Productividad laboral; Trasplante de células hematopoyéticas