Unité de Recherche en Santé des Populations (URESP), Centre de Recherche FRSQ du Centre Hospitalier Affilié Universitaire de Québec, 1050 Chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, QC G1S 4L8, Canada.
We describe a method we developed for estimating cancer costs from the perspective of patients and caregivers and evidence supporting validity of estimates obtained.
To increase validity, interview questions were anchored to treatments; costs were divided into their components; most questions focused on facts; and the research team combined responses into cost estimates. Evidence for validity comes from a prospective study of breast cancer costs using this method.
Estimates obtained using interview responses were similar to those from independent sources. Women reported being reimbursed $205 on average for prosthesis (government reimbursement =$200); paying $15.48 per night at cancer lodge (average rate =$17.52); receiving government illness insurance for 14.6 weeks at 53% of usual salary (governmental program covers 15 weeks at 55%). A priori hypotheses about relations of costs with other characteristics were also confirmed. For example, patients' weekly travel costs increased as a function of distance from the radiotherapy center, with patients living