Abstract / Summary
ObjectiveTo explore the potential latent class characteristics of financial toxicity in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis and to analyze the influencing factors of different latent classes,aiming to provide reference basis for implementing personalized interventions.MethodsA total of 206 patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis admitted to the gastroenterology department of a tertiary grade A hospital in Dongguan city from July 2023 to May 2025 were selected as the study subjects.A General Information Questionnaire,the Chinese version of the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity Scale,and the Social Support Rating Scale were used to investigate.Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the influencing factors.A total of 11 patients were purposively sampled for semi⁃structured interviews by purposive sampling.Interpretive phenomenological analysis was applied to analyze the interview data.ResultsFinancial toxicity in decompensated liver cirrhosis was classified into four latent classes:mild financial toxicity⁃mild social psychological reactivity type(13.1%),moderate financial toxicity⁃severe social psychological reactivity type(51.5%),moderate financial toxicity⁃moderate social psychological reactivity type(29.1%),and severe financial toxicity⁃moderate social psychological reactivity type(6.3%).Logistic regression analysis results showed that gender,marital status,education level,household economic income,and social support were identified as influencing factors of financial toxicity in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis(P<0.05).The qualitative study extracted four core themes:rational coping,psychological collapse,passive compromise,and psychological isolation.Payment methods for medical expenses,individual medical coping strategies,uncertainty of medical expenses,emotional resilience,informal financial support,sense of family responsibility,and disease management half⁃life were the influencing factors of financial toxicity in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.ConclusionPatients with decompensated liver cirrhosis are commonly affected by financial toxicity,with the latent classes exhibiting diverse characteristics.It suggests that social workers and healthcare professionals could develop personalized intervention plans by early identification of class⁃specific characteristics and influencing factors,thereby improving the experience of financial toxicity and mitigating its negative impact on optimal health behavior decision⁃making in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.