Breast Cancer and Income Loss in Denmark: Heterogeneous Outcomes and Longitudinal Effects

Abstract

Income loss after breast cancer is an important area of research, but long-term effects and heterogeneous impacts are understudied. Our analysis measures the effect of breast cancer on personal and household equivalized income of females in Denmark from 2000-2018 using Danish register data. We perform a cohort study and match on age, baseline income, employment, baseline health, and other socioeconomic and demographic variables, to investigate heterogeneous effects across subpopulations over a 10-year period. We also perform an event study difference-in-difference analysis over the same period. Our study finds modest but consistent personal income loss over 10 years, and disproportionate loss for the working population, students, and those in worse health. Household income losses are smaller and recover within 10 years. Overall, the Danish economic protections are effective in mitigating long-term economic impact of breast cancer on the population, though there is room for improvement in protection of the most vulnerable.