Return to Work After Cancer Diagnosed in 2002, 2005 and 2008

Overview

Journal J Occup Rehabil

Publisher Springer

Specialties Occupational Medicine
Rehabilitation Medicine

Date 2011 Jul 29

PMID 21796373

Citations 19

Authors

C A M Roelen

P C Koopmans

J W Groothoff

J J L van der Klink

U Bultmann

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: Improvements in diagnosis and treatment of cancer have increased cancer survival. This study investigated the trends in return to work (RTW) after cancer.

Methods: All employees absent from work due to cancer diagnosed in 2002 (N = 1209), 2005 (N = 1522), and 2008 (N = 1556) were selected from an occupational health service register. Partial RTW was defined as resuming work with 50% of earnings and full RTW as resuming work with 100% of earnings. The percentages of partial and full RTW were determined 2 years after reporting sick and compared with percentages of partial and full RTW after cardiovascular disorders. The time to partial and full RTW after cancer in 2005 and 2008 was compared with the time to RTW in 2002.

Results: Partial RTW decreased from 85% 2 years after cancer diagnosis in 2002 to 80% in 2005 and 69% in 2008. Full RTW decreased from 80% 2 years after cancer diagnosis in 2002 to 74% in 2005 and 60% in 2008. RTW after cardiovascular disorders showed similar changes. The time to partial RTW in 2008 was longer than in 2002 after gastrointestinal cancer and lung cancer. The time to full RTW in 2008 was longer than in 2002 after breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancer and lung cancer.

Conclusions: In the past decade, the percentages of employees who resumed work after cancer have decreased in The Netherlands, while the time to RTW increased. Possible explanations include changes in disability policy, economic decline, and resulting decreases in work latitude and workplace accommodations.

Citing Articles

Measures of Work-life Balance and Interventions of Reasonable Accommodations for the Return to Work of Cancer Survivors: A Scoping Review.

Buresti G, Rondinone B, Valenti A, Boccuni F, Fortuna G, Iavicoli S Saf Health Work. 2024; 15(3):255-262.

PMID: 39309276 PMC: 11410488. DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2024.07.001.

Employment status in cancer patients the first five years after diagnosis-a register-based study.

Brink E, Pilegaard M, Bonnesen T, Nielsen C, Pedersen P J Cancer Surviv. 2024; .

PMID: 38587762 DOI: 10.1007/s11764-024-01576-5.

Labour market participation after sickness absence due to cancer: a dynamic cohort study in Catalonia (Spain).

Ayala-Garcia A, Benavides F, Serra L BMC Public Health. 2023; 23(1):2477.

PMID: 38082284 PMC: 10714569. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17321-z.

Sustainable Return to Work for Workers with Mental Health and Musculoskeletal Conditions.

Etuknwa A, Daniels K, Nayani R, Eib C Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(2).

PMID: 36673814 PMC: 9859362. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021057.

The role of physical arm function and demographic disparities in breast cancer survivors' ability to return to work.

Vidt M, Heitzenrater J, Dodge D, Potochny J, Widders K, Paulishak M Support Care Cancer. 2022; 30(12):10301-10310.

PMID: 36355217 PMC: 9648455. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-022-07449-w.

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