An Examination of Factors Contributing to the Sense of Economic Deprivation Among Mesothelioma Patients -Analyses of Patient Surveys Concerning Income and Expenses-

<p>Objective. Mesothelioma patients can take advantage of the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act and the Asbestos Health Damage Relief System, but the reality of these patients' situations is unclear, as individuals vary in their perception of financial hardship. In this study, we examined the causes of these patients' sense of economic deprivation from the viewpoints of income and expenditure, as well as issues of income security. Study Design. A questionnaire survey was administered to patients, and a multiple regression analysis was conducted on 10 income sources, with the sense of economic deprivation considered as the dependent variable. In terms of expenditures, Fisher's exact test was used to explore the amount of money likely to cause a sense of economic deprivation. The t-test was also used to compare the patients' ages in terms of the presence of a sense of economic deprivation. Results. In terms of income, the sense of economic deprivation decreased with increases in "disability pension/old-age pension" and "rights income" and increased with an increase in "family support". In terms of expenditures, 330,000 yen was the borderline between the sense of economic deprivation and the absence of economic hardship. In addition, a sense of economic deprivation was generated by young people. Conclusion. The current system does not provide sufficient compensation and relief to patients with a weak financial base, so a reexamination of the system design in accordance with the actual living conditions of patients is required. Medical institutions must improve the support system for patients who fall into the categories of "young/no unearned income/monthly expenses >330,000 yen/many costs related to treatment not covered by insurance".</p>