Assessing the human and economic burden of workplace cancer in Canada

Reasons for the study

There is a growing interest in better understanding the extent of occupational cancers and their economic burden to society. Yet assessing the economic burden of occupational cancers has rarely been done. A research team from the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), University of British Columbia and Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) partnered with the Canadian Cancer Society to estimate the economic burden of occupational cancer in Canada, including lifetime costs associated with medical expenses, market productivity losses, and losses in health-related quality of life.

Objectives of the study

  • Estimate the direct costs of occupational cancer, including hospitalization, physician care and treatment costs
  • Estimate the indirect and health-related quality-of-life costs of occupational cancer, such as lost output in the paid labour force, activity loss in non-paid roles and the intrinsic value of health

Target audience

Information on the economic burden of cancers us extremely useful to government and industry decision-makers who want to understand the benefits of investing in prevention-related efforts.

Related scientific publications

Related interviews and articles

Project status

Completed 2020

Research team

  • Emile Tompa, Institute for Work & Health (PI)
  • Amir Mofidi, Institute for Work & Health

Collaborators and partners

CAREX Canada

 

Funded by

Canadian Cancer Society