Impact of smoking on health system costs among cancer patients in a retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Smoking is the main modifiable cancer risk factor. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of smoking on health system costs among newly diagnosed adult patients with cancer. Specifically, costs of patients with cancer who were current smokers were compared with those of non-smokers from a publicly funded health system perspective.

Methods

This population-based cohort study of patients with cancer used administrative databases to identify smokers and non-smokers (1 April 2014-31 March 2016) and their healthcare costs in the 12-24 months following a cancer diagnosis. The health services included were hospitalisations, emergency room visits, drugs, home care services and physician services (from the time of diagnosis onwards). The difference in cost (ie

SUBMITTER: Isaranuwatchai W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6596959 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature