Successful return to work for cancer survivors | Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center

Authors:	Nicholas, D. B., Attridge, M Zwaigenbaum, L., & Clarke, M.
Year Published	2007
Publication	American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Journal
Volume	55
Number	7
Pages	290-295
Publisher	Europe Pubmed Central
Background	Advances in diagnosis and treatment has increased the 5 year survival rate among individuals with cancer. With this improvement, comes and increase in individuals who will return to work. Return to work is important in order to improve quality of life, a sense of normalcy and in terms of economic well being. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may offer legal protections to survivors both before and after treatment. Few studies have looked at return to work experiences among cancer survivors and how the ADA provisions may related to that experience.
Purpose	The purpose of this study is to determine factors (related to the ADA) that influence a successful return to work for cancer survivors.
Setting	Patients were recruited from an oncology department in a metropolitan hospital in Minnesota and a focus group was held.
Sample	Seven individuals attended a 2 hour focus group help at the hospital. All were female and four were breast cancer survivors. The majority were white, married and had a Bachelor's degree or higher level of education. Participants had been employed 8 to 20 months prior to diagnosis.
Data Collection	A focus group was help to identify common themes about health, health care, economic security, and return to work. Analysis were descriptive and qualitative. Transcripts of the group meeting were read along with moderator notes. General themes were pulled from this material.
Control	There was no control or comparison condition.
Findings	For the majority of participant (N=5) the reason for returning to work was an essential part of their healing. All members of the group were aware of the ADA however, none had engaged in formal conversations with their employers about its provisions. Factors aiding in return to work included: job flexibility, coworker support,and health care provider support. Factors hindering return to work were: ignorance about cancer in the workplace, lack of emotional support, physical effects of cancer, and the impact of cancer on the person's priorities.
Conclusions	Occupational nurses have an important role to play in the return to work of individuals who survive cancer. They need to be aware of the positive and negative factors that influence return to work and understand the legal requirements such as the ADA.
URL	http://whs.sagepub.com/content/55/7/290.full.pdf
Disabilities
Populations	Male & Female \| White / Caucasian
Outcomes	Return to work
NIDILRR Funded	No
Research Design	Case reports, Qualitative
Peer Reviewed	Yes

Year Published

2007

Publication

American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Journal

Volume

55

Number

7

Pages

290-295

Publisher

Europe Pubmed Central

Background

Advances in diagnosis and treatment has increased the 5 year survival rate among individuals with cancer. With this improvement, comes and increase in individuals who will return to work. Return to work is important in order to improve quality of life, a sense of normalcy and in terms of economic well being. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may offer legal protections to survivors both before and after treatment. Few studies have looked at return to work experiences among cancer survivors and how the ADA provisions may related to that experience.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine factors (related to the ADA) that influence a successful return to work for cancer survivors.

Setting

Patients were recruited from an oncology department in a metropolitan hospital in Minnesota and a focus group was held.

Sample

Seven individuals attended a 2 hour focus group help at the hospital. All were female and four were breast cancer survivors. The majority were white, married and had a Bachelor's degree or higher level of education. Participants had been employed 8 to 20 months prior to diagnosis.

Data Collection

A focus group was help to identify common themes about health, health care, economic security, and return to work. Analysis were descriptive and qualitative. Transcripts of the group meeting were read along with moderator notes. General themes were pulled from this material.

Control

There was no control or comparison condition.

Findings

For the majority of participant (N=5) the reason for returning to work was an essential part of their healing. All members of the group were aware of the ADA however, none had engaged in formal conversations with their employers about its provisions. Factors aiding in return to work included: job flexibility, coworker support,and health care provider support. Factors hindering return to work were: ignorance about cancer in the workplace, lack of emotional support, physical effects of cancer, and the impact of cancer on the person's priorities.

Conclusions

Occupational nurses have an important role to play in the return to work of individuals who survive cancer. They need to be aware of the positive and negative factors that influence return to work and understand the legal requirements such as the ADA.

URL

http://whs.sagepub.com/content/55/7/290.full.pdf

Disabilities

Populations

Male & Female | White / Caucasian

Outcomes

Return to work

NIDILRR Funded

No

Research Design

Case reports, Qualitative

Peer Reviewed

Yes