Financial Anxiety in Cancer Prevention and Cancer Control

Book excerpt: Financial hardship is a common effect of cancer diagnosis and treatment. While most research has focused on material aspects of financial hardship such as bankruptcy and going into debt, less focus has been on psychological aspects such as financial anxiety. Previous studies have suggested that financial anxiety is associated with worse quality of life and mental health in people with cancer. Financial anxiety may also be a factor in cancer prevention, as studies have shown that financial anxiety is associated with tobacco smoking and less adherence to mammography recommendations. Previous studies have shown that financial anxiety differs from material financial hardship and some patients experience financial anxiety without material financial hardship.