Child’s cancer diagnosis can affect mother’s income long-term

Photo by Bill Branson

A study conducted in Sweden revealed that social benefits can ease financial burdens for parents of children recently diagnosed with cancer.

However, the study also showed that mothers experienced persistently lower income after benefits diminished.

Ayako Hiyoshi, PhD, of Örebro University in Örebro, Sweden, and her colleagues detailed these findings in Cancer.

The researchers gathered information from Swedish national registers and examined the trajectories of parents’ income from different sources.

Parents of children with cancer diagnosed between 2004 and 2009 were identified and matched with parents of children without cancer (reference parents).

In total, 20,091 families were followed from the year before cancer diagnosis to a maximum of 8 years.

The researchers noted that, around the time of a child’s cancer diagnosis, total income (from all sources) was, on average, higher in mothers of children with cancer than in reference mothers.

The ratio of mean total income for mothers of children with cancer, compared to reference mothers, was 1.032 at 1 year prior to the child’s diagnosis and 1.064 the year of diagnosis.

For fathers of children with cancer, total income was slightly lower than reference fathers’ income. The ratios were 0.987 at 1 year prior to diagnosis and 0.995 the year of diagnosis.

The researchers also noted that parents’ income from work was at its lowest around the time of a child’s cancer diagnosis but increased with time.

At cancer diagnosis, the ratio of mean income from work was 0.642 for mothers and 0.858 for fathers. One year later, the ratios were 0.786 and 0.956, respectively. At 3 years, the ratios were 0.876 and 0.986, respectively. At 6 years, the ratios were 0.856 and 1.058, respectively.

The researchers pointed out that sickness and childcare-related benefits, which compensated for income loss, were greater for parents of children with cancer than for reference parents. However, social benefits diminished over time.

One year prior to cancer diagnosis, the ratio of sickness benefits was 3.495 for mothers and 5.213 for fathers. The year of diagnosis, the ratios were 4.785 and 5.795, respectively. At 3 years, the ratios were 1.404 and 1.339, respectively. And at 6 years, the ratios were 0.931 and 1.421, respectively.

One year prior to cancer diagnosis, the ratio of childcare-related benefits was 2.830 for mothers and 3.514 for fathers. The year of diagnosis, the ratios were 4.553 and 4.930, respectively. At 3 years, the ratios were 2.225 and 1.948, respectively. And at 6 years, the ratios were 1.272 and 1.095, respectively.

The decline of social benefits over time meant that cancer mothers’ total income became lower than that of reference mothers, and this difference persisted over the period studied. This was not the case for cancer fathers, however.

The ratio of income from all sources for cancer mothers compared to reference mothers was 1.064 the year of diagnosis, 0.985 at 2 years, 0.966 at 4 years, and 0.934 at 6 years.

The ratio of income from all sources for cancer fathers compared to reference fathers was 0.995 the year of diagnosis, 0.993 at 2 years, 0.998 at 4 years, and 1.029 at 6 years.

“A significant and unexpected finding was that, although income from employment stayed lower for several years for mothers, total income was higher for mothers of children with cancer around the time of the child’s cancer diagnosis when the compensation from social benefits were included,” Dr Hiyoshi said.

“The persistently lower income from employment for mothers of children with cancer compared with mothers of cancer-free children implies potential long-term consequences for the mothers of children with cancer, including their career and future pension in old age.”

Photo by Bill Branson

A study conducted in Sweden revealed that social benefits can ease financial burdens for parents of children recently diagnosed with cancer.

However, the study also showed that mothers experienced persistently lower income after benefits diminished.

Ayako Hiyoshi, PhD, of Örebro University in Örebro, Sweden, and her colleagues detailed these findings in Cancer.

The researchers gathered information from Swedish national registers and examined the trajectories of parents’ income from different sources.

Parents of children with cancer diagnosed between 2004 and 2009 were identified and matched with parents of children without cancer (reference parents).

In total, 20,091 families were followed from the year before cancer diagnosis to a maximum of 8 years.

The researchers noted that, around the time of a child’s cancer diagnosis, total income (from all sources) was, on average, higher in mothers of children with cancer than in reference mothers.

The ratio of mean total income for mothers of children with cancer, compared to reference mothers, was 1.032 at 1 year prior to the child’s diagnosis and 1.064 the year of diagnosis.

For fathers of children with cancer, total income was slightly lower than reference fathers’ income. The ratios were 0.987 at 1 year prior to diagnosis and 0.995 the year of diagnosis.

The researchers also noted that parents’ income from work was at its lowest around the time of a child’s cancer diagnosis but increased with time.

At cancer diagnosis, the ratio of mean income from work was 0.642 for mothers and 0.858 for fathers. One year later, the ratios were 0.786 and 0.956, respectively. At 3 years, the ratios were 0.876 and 0.986, respectively. At 6 years, the ratios were 0.856 and 1.058, respectively.

The researchers pointed out that sickness and childcare-related benefits, which compensated for income loss, were greater for parents of children with cancer than for reference parents. However, social benefits diminished over time.

One year prior to cancer diagnosis, the ratio of sickness benefits was 3.495 for mothers and 5.213 for fathers. The year of diagnosis, the ratios were 4.785 and 5.795, respectively. At 3 years, the ratios were 1.404 and 1.339, respectively. And at 6 years, the ratios were 0.931 and 1.421, respectively.

One year prior to cancer diagnosis, the ratio of childcare-related benefits was 2.830 for mothers and 3.514 for fathers. The year of diagnosis, the ratios were 4.553 and 4.930, respectively. At 3 years, the ratios were 2.225 and 1.948, respectively. And at 6 years, the ratios were 1.272 and 1.095, respectively.

The decline of social benefits over time meant that cancer mothers’ total income became lower than that of reference mothers, and this difference persisted over the period studied. This was not the case for cancer fathers, however.

The ratio of income from all sources for cancer mothers compared to reference mothers was 1.064 the year of diagnosis, 0.985 at 2 years, 0.966 at 4 years, and 0.934 at 6 years.

The ratio of income from all sources for cancer fathers compared to reference fathers was 0.995 the year of diagnosis, 0.993 at 2 years, 0.998 at 4 years, and 1.029 at 6 years.

“A significant and unexpected finding was that, although income from employment stayed lower for several years for mothers, total income was higher for mothers of children with cancer around the time of the child’s cancer diagnosis when the compensation from social benefits were included,” Dr Hiyoshi said.

“The persistently lower income from employment for mothers of children with cancer compared with mothers of cancer-free children implies potential long-term consequences for the mothers of children with cancer, including their career and future pension in old age.”

Photo by Bill Branson

A study conducted in Sweden revealed that social benefits can ease financial burdens for parents of children recently diagnosed with cancer.

However, the study also showed that mothers experienced persistently lower income after benefits diminished.

Ayako Hiyoshi, PhD, of Örebro University in Örebro, Sweden, and her colleagues detailed these findings in Cancer.

The researchers gathered information from Swedish national registers and examined the trajectories of parents’ income from different sources.

Parents of children with cancer diagnosed between 2004 and 2009 were identified and matched with parents of children without cancer (reference parents).

In total, 20,091 families were followed from the year before cancer diagnosis to a maximum of 8 years.

The researchers noted that, around the time of a child’s cancer diagnosis, total income (from all sources) was, on average, higher in mothers of children with cancer than in reference mothers.

The ratio of mean total income for mothers of children with cancer, compared to reference mothers, was 1.032 at 1 year prior to the child’s diagnosis and 1.064 the year of diagnosis.

For fathers of children with cancer, total income was slightly lower than reference fathers’ income. The ratios were 0.987 at 1 year prior to diagnosis and 0.995 the year of diagnosis.

The researchers also noted that parents’ income from work was at its lowest around the time of a child’s cancer diagnosis but increased with time.

At cancer diagnosis, the ratio of mean income from work was 0.642 for mothers and 0.858 for fathers. One year later, the ratios were 0.786 and 0.956, respectively. At 3 years, the ratios were 0.876 and 0.986, respectively. At 6 years, the ratios were 0.856 and 1.058, respectively.

The researchers pointed out that sickness and childcare-related benefits, which compensated for income loss, were greater for parents of children with cancer than for reference parents. However, social benefits diminished over time.

One year prior to cancer diagnosis, the ratio of sickness benefits was 3.495 for mothers and 5.213 for fathers. The year of diagnosis, the ratios were 4.785 and 5.795, respectively. At 3 years, the ratios were 1.404 and 1.339, respectively. And at 6 years, the ratios were 0.931 and 1.421, respectively.

One year prior to cancer diagnosis, the ratio of childcare-related benefits was 2.830 for mothers and 3.514 for fathers. The year of diagnosis, the ratios were 4.553 and 4.930, respectively. At 3 years, the ratios were 2.225 and 1.948, respectively. And at 6 years, the ratios were 1.272 and 1.095, respectively.

The decline of social benefits over time meant that cancer mothers’ total income became lower than that of reference mothers, and this difference persisted over the period studied. This was not the case for cancer fathers, however.

The ratio of income from all sources for cancer mothers compared to reference mothers was 1.064 the year of diagnosis, 0.985 at 2 years, 0.966 at 4 years, and 0.934 at 6 years.

The ratio of income from all sources for cancer fathers compared to reference fathers was 0.995 the year of diagnosis, 0.993 at 2 years, 0.998 at 4 years, and 1.029 at 6 years.

“A significant and unexpected finding was that, although income from employment stayed lower for several years for mothers, total income was higher for mothers of children with cancer around the time of the child’s cancer diagnosis when the compensation from social benefits were included,” Dr Hiyoshi said.

“The persistently lower income from employment for mothers of children with cancer compared with mothers of cancer-free children implies potential long-term consequences for the mothers of children with cancer, including their career and future pension in old age.”