Associations Between Cancer-Related Financial Hardship, Pain, and Opioid Use

Key Points

• Increased financial hardship correlates with higher pain levels and opioid use—demonstrating significant clinical implications.
• Patients experiencing financial difficulties report greater reliance on opioids during cancer treatment, highlighting urgent needs.
• Observational analysis integrates financial screening into clinical workflows to better identify high-risk cancer patients for tailored support.
• The findings support the need for financial navigation interventions to alleviate pain and improve outcomes in affected individuals.

Abstract