Abstract:
Objective To investigate the current status of financial toxicity (FT) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and analyze its influencing factors, so as to provide evidence for developing targeted intervention strategies.
Methods Using a convenience sampling method, a total of 285 patients with IBD were enrolled as study subjects. Surveys were conducted using a general information questionnaire, the Chinese version of comprehensive scores for financial toxicity based on the patient-reported outcome measures (COST-PROM), the inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (IBDQ), the Chinese version of the IBD disability index (IBD-DI), and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS-A). Univariate analysis, Random Forest model, LASSO regression, and multivariate linear stepwise regression analysis were employed to explore the influencing factors of financial toxicity.
Results : The COST-PROM score for IBD patients was (23.43 ± 7.26) points, indicating a moderately low level. Correlation analysis revealed that the COST-PROM score was positively correlated with the IBDQ score (r=0.527, P < 0.01), and negatively correlated with IBD-DI (r=-0.411, P < 0.01) and HADS-A score (r=-0.296, P < 0.05). showed a positive correlation between COST-PROM scores and IBDQ scores (r=0.527, P<0.01), while negative correlations were observed with IBD-DI (r=-0.411, P<0.01) and HADS-A scores (r=-0.296, P<0.05). The Random Forest model showed that factors such as employment status, IBDQ score, and number of hospitalizations in the past six months had significant impacts on financial toxicity. Multivariate linear stepwise regression analysis identified employment status, IBDQ score, biologic therapy, IBD-DI score, disease activity, average monthly family income, HADS-A score, and number of hospitalizations in the past six months as the main influencing factors of financial toxicity in IBD patients (P < 0.01), explaining 67.2% of the total variance.
Conclusions Financial toxicity among IBD patients is at a moderately high level, influenced by multiple factors including employment status, self-management behavior, use of biologics, disability level, disease activity, family income, anxiety, and number of hospitalizations. Healthcare professionals should focus on screening high-risk populations and implement strategies such as optimizing treatment plans, enhancing psychological support, and providing social assistance to alleviate financial toxicity in these patients.