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Influence on the Health of the Partner Affected by Tumor Disease in the Wife or Husband Based on a Population-Based Register Study of Cancer in Sweden.

På svenska

Author

  • Katarina Sjövall
  • Bo Attner
  • Thor Lithman
  • Dennis Noreen
  • Barbro Gunnars
  • Bibbi Thomé
  • Håkan Olsson

Summary, in English

PURPOSE: To examine health care use and health care costs among partners of persons with cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Partners of patients with colon, rectal, lung, breast, and prostate cancer (N = 11,076) were identified via linked data from the Tumor Registry of Southern Sweden and Census Registry of Sweden. Health care use, total costs of health care, and diagnosis of the partner were studied before and after diagnosis of the cancer patient. RESULTS: Health care use for partners increased in terms of in-patient care after the cancer diagnosis. A significant increase was seen the second year for partners of patients with colon cancer (risk ratio [RR], 1.55; 95% CI, 1.28 to 1.87) and lung cancer (RR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.26 to 1.79). Psychiatric diagnoses increased after the cancer diagnosis in the total sample, with a significant increase for partners of colon (RR, 2.66; 95% CI, 1.71 to 4.22), lung (RR, 3.16; 95% CI, 2.23 to 4.57), and prostate cancer patients (RR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.32 to 2.15). Costs of care increased more than the consumer price index the two years after the cancer diagnosis. Costs of care increased most for male partners and especially for younger male partners (age 25 to 64 years) of patients with colon, rectal, and lung cancers. CONCLUSION: The results showed increased health care costs and an increase in psychiatric diagnoses after the cancer diagnosis among partners of cancer patients. Further research is needed to learn more about the situation of the partner and to identify persons at risk of psychiatric morbidity. Knowledge is also needed on how to support the partner in the most efficient way.

Publishing year

2009

Language

English

Pages

4781-4786

Publication/Series

Journal of Clinical Oncology

Volume

27

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

American Society of Clinical Oncology

Topic

  • Cancer and Oncology

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1527-7755