PURPOSE Little is known about how breast cancer may impact survivors' financial well-being. This study aims to investigate the financial status, burden, and opinions of breast cancer survivors who received short-term financial assistance, emotional support, and resource navigation from a community organization during treatment. METHODS Clients previously served by the community organization were mailed a 16-question survey (n = 751) to elicit their perspective on financial status and burden before, during, and after diagnosis and treatment along with general demographic and opinion items. RESULTS 136 surveys (18.1%) were returned yielding 118 (15.7%) suitable for analyses. Clients' average age was 54.3 years. Most were female (99.2%), Caucasian (66.1%), and diagnosed with Stage 1 or 2 breast cancer (58.5%). Clients reported significantly worse (p < 0.001) financial status after being diagnosed compared to before diagnosis. Financial distress was highest during cancer treatment (mean = 3.92, SD = 0.85), lowest prior to treatment (mean = 2.48, SD = 1.05), and remained high after treatment (mean = 3.59, SD = 1.05). Those with higher distress after treatment were significantly (p = 0.01) more likely to report lower social support during treatment. CONCLUSIONS Breast cancer survivors reported worsening financial status and distress after being diagnosed and during treatment despite receiving short-term financial assistance, emotional support, and resource navigation. Survivors' financial distress after treatment remained higher than before treatment. However, most felt receiving financial assistance improved their quality of life and made them feel more in control of financial decision-making. Breast cancer survivors who feel they have low social support during treatment may feel higher financial distress posttreatment.

中文翻译：

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了解经济援助后乳腺癌幸存者的经济负担和困扰。

目的对乳腺癌如何影响幸存者的财务状况知之甚少。这项研究旨在调查在治疗期间从社区组织获得短期经济援助，情感支持和资源导航的乳腺癌幸存者的财务状况，负担和意见。方法将以前由社区​​组织服务的客户寄给16个问题的调查（n = 751），以阐明他们对诊断和治疗之前，之中和之后的财务状况和负担以及一般人口统计和意见项目的看法。结果返回了136个调查（占18.1％），得出适合分析的118个（占15.7％）。客户的平均年龄为54.3岁。大多数为女性（99.2％），白种人（66.1％），并被诊断出患有1或2期乳腺癌（58.5％）。与诊断前相比，客户报告被诊断后的财务状况明显较差（p <0.001）。癌症治疗期间的财务困境最高（平均= 3.92，SD = 0.85），治疗前最低（平均= 2.48，SD = 1.05），治疗后仍然很高（平均= 3.59，SD = 1.05）。那些在治疗后有更高痛苦的人在治疗过程中更可能报告较低的社会支持（p = 0.01）。结论乳腺癌幸存者报告尽管得到了短期经济援助，情感支持和资源导航，但在诊断后和治疗期间财务状况和痛苦不断恶化。治疗后幸存者的财务困扰仍然高于治疗前。然而，大多数人感到接受财政援助改善了他们的生活质量，并使他们更有控制财务决策的能力。乳腺癌幸存者在治疗期间感到社会支持度低，可能在治疗后感到财务困境。