ORIGINAL PAPER
Assessing the economic burden of cervical cancer in Poland: the critical role of productivity loss
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1
Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, Kraków, Poland (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
2
EconMed Europe, Kraków, Poland
3
Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Kraków Branch, Kraków, Poland
(Department of Radiotherapy)
4
Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland (General, Oncological, Gastroenterological and Transplant Surgery Clinical Department)
Online publication date: 2025-06-10
HIGHLIGHTS
- Losses due to sick leave resulting from cervical cancer (CC) in Poland are increasing.
- Productivity losses are nearly 5 times higher than direct public expenditures on CC.
- The need for prioritizing preventive programs is growing.
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ABSTRACT
Background: Absenteeism due to cervical cancer (CC) poses a considerable challenge for both employers and employees, with implications for productivity. The aim of the article is to assess the costs of lost productivity associated with CC in Poland 2018–2022. Material and Methods: The analysis is based on the human capital method and a societal perspective, focusing on 2 main aspects of productivity losses: absence and premature mortality. Results: The average number of sick leave days for CC patients ranged 23–25 days annually, and productivity losses from this cause increased from EUR 10.3 million in 2018 to over EUR 14 million in 2022. During the analyzed period, 1742 deaths of women of working age due to CC were recorded. Expenditures by the National Health Fund on CC treatment for women of working age 2018–2022 averaged EUR 11 million per year, while the Social Insurance Institution covered benefits such as pensions and sickness allowances ranging from EUR 5.3 million to EUR 6.4 million annually. Conclusions: Productivity losses due to CC were nearly 5 times higher than direct public expenditures. The findings highlight the need to prioritize prevention programs and to consider indirect costs in the assessment of disease burden and health policy decisions. Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2025;76(5)