NEW YORK, Nov. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Belong.Life,
creator of the "Belong- Beating Cancer Together" mobile app, the
world's largest interactive social network for cancer patients,
caregivers and healthcare professionals, has published a study
showing that almost half of advanced breast cancer (ABC) patients
in the US suffering from "financial toxicity" cite medical
copayments as their primary financial burden. 25% of surveyed
patients delayed treatments or used less expensive or alternate
medications due to high copayments. The research was presented
today at the 5th ESO-ESMO International Consensus
Conference on Advanced Breast Cancer in Lisbon.
The study surveyed 189 Belong.Life users and explored the extent
of the financial burden of ABC. 87% of respondents reported
financial difficulties during their cancer journeys. Of that
cohort, 57% blamed their medical copayments. 94% of those that did
were US based patients. High drug costs (38%) and added living and
transportation costs (13%) were also cited. Patients under
the age of 50 were most likely to report experiencing "financial
toxicity," while those above 65 were the least likely to do so.
"Financial toxicity during cancer treatment can create more
pressure at an already fragile time," principle author of the
study, Dr. Daniel Vorobiof, said. "We need to begin discussing the
financial burden of cancer from the moment a patient is diagnosed.
Physicians should become aware of possible risks for financial
toxicity and, just like any other treatment side effect, work
together with their patients to address the problem by helping them
make informed decisions."
Financial toxicity is defined by the National Cancer Institute
as "Not having health insurance or having a lot of costs for
medical care not covered by health insurance [which] can cause
financial problems and may lead to debt or bankruptcy."
The study also showed that patients addressed their financial
difficulty in different ways with 41% receiving support from family
and friends, 11% gaining support from advocacy groups and 11% using
crowdfunding methods.
"This vital study demonstrates the importance of engaging
medical patients to understand the full scope of disease burden,"
said Eliran Malki, CEO and
Co-Founder of Belong.Life. "Currently published data tends to focus
on the perspective of payers, providers, or pharma. Sometimes, the
unique and valuable perspective of the patient is lost in the mix.
Real world data is crucial in order to understand the many
variables of disease and treatment and Belong is pleased to provide
a platform to better understand and improve the patient
journey."
About Belong.Life
Founded in 2015, Belong – Beating Cancer Together is a free
patient navigation app that allows cancer patients and their
support network to explore and better manage the treatment journey
and improve quality of life. The Belong global community gains
access to a proprietary big data platform and machine learning
technology that enables people to connect, receive and share
clinical information anonymously and to privately discuss issues
related to their condition. The Belong Patient Engagement Platform
provides healthcare organizations with an end-to-end solution that
includes personalized and configurable patient engagement tools,
navigation and management services. Today, Belong is the world's
largest digital cancer patient platform and has partnerships with
leading patient advocacy associations, including the American
Cancer Society, GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, Colorectal Cancer
Canada, as well as many healthcare providers and pharma companies.
The company also conducts research, collaborates with leading
universities and has published research with The American Society
of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and other organizations.
Website: https://belong.life/
Follow Belong on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Ellie
Hanson
Finn Partners for Belong
929-222-8006
Ellie.Hanson@finnpartners.com
View original
content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/belonglife-new-study-shows-advanced-breast-cancer-patients-in-the-us-cite-copayments-as-main-financial-burden-300958527.html
SOURCE Belong.Life