Impact of the economic crisis and drug shortage on Lebanese cancer patients’ care

Table 3 Reasons for treatment disruption, n (%)

Characteristics	Value, n = 182
Stopped or interrupted any drugs including chemotherapy
Yes	58 (31.87)
Reason:
Shortage	41 (70.69)
Price/coverage	8 (13.79)
COVID-19	1 (1.72)
Other	8 (13.79)
No	124 (68.13)
Changed any of their medications
Yes	81 (44.51)
Reason:
Shortage	74 (91.36)
Price	3 (3.70)
Coverage	4 (4.94)
No	101 (55.49)
Had a third-party payer
Yes	160 (87.91)
Syndicate	4 (2.50)
Insurance	82 (51.25)
CNSS	52 (32.50)
CFE	4 (2.50)
Ministry of Public Health	13 (8.13)
Army	5 (3.12)
No	22 (12.09)
Source of medication payment
Out-of-pocket	87 (69.60)
Donations	14 (11.20)
Family	9 (7.20)
Primary healthcare centers	14 (11.20)
Ministry of Public Health	1 (0.80)

CFE: Caisse Française de l’Etranger; CNSS: Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale or National Social Security Fund; COVID-19: Coronavirus disease-19.