Non-medical interventions to enhance return to work for people with cancer.

Background: People with cancer are 1.4 times more likely to be unemployed than people without a cancer diagnosis. Therefore, it is important to investigate whether programmes to enhance the return-to-work (RTW) process for people who have been diagnosed with cancer are effective.

Working from home: mismatch between access and need in relation to work-home interference and fatigue.

Objectives: Working from home (WfH) is a promising practice that may enable employees to successfully and sustainably combine work and private life. Yet, not every employer facilitates WfH and not every employee has similar needs concerning the practice. The current study aims to examine the association of a WfH mismatch with work-home interference (WHI) and fatigue.

Long-term work retention after treatment for cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: Almost half of people diagnosed with cancer are working age. Survivors have increased risk of unemployment, but little is known about long-term work retention. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed work retention and associated factors in long-term cancer survivors.

Differences in self-rated health and work ability between self-employed workers and employees: Results from a prospective cohort study in the Netherlands.

Background: With the increase of the statutory retirement age, the number of self-employed older workers will most likely increase. Therefore, this study aimed to explore: 1) the differences in self-rated health and work ability of self-employed workers and employees, 1) whether self-employment is associated with better self-rated health and work ability across three years, than employment, and 3) the role of sociodemographic, health- and work-related characteristics (e.g.

Quality of Working Life of cancer survivors: associations with health- and work-related variables.

Purpose: This study aimed to (1) describe the Quality of Working Life (QWL) of cancer survivors and (2) explore associations between the QWL of cancer survivors and health- and work-related variables.

Methods: Employed and self-employed cancer survivors were recruited through hospitals and patient organizations. They completed the Quality of Working Life Questionnaire for Cancer Survivors (QWLQ-CS) and health- and work-related variables in this cross-sectional study.

Unemployment risk at 2 and 4 years following colorectal cancer diagnosis: a population based study.

Background: About half of colorectal patients are diagnosed less than 65 years of age and they have a relatively high cure rate. However, little is known about their employment and related risk factors. The aim of the current study was to clarify the association between colorectal cancer (CRC) and subsequent risk of being unemployed.

Cancer@Work - a nurse-led, stepped-care, e-health intervention to enhance the return to work of patients with cancer: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Although the importance of work for patients with cancer is nowadays more acknowledged both in the literature as well as in cancer survivorship care, effective interventions targeting the return to work of these patients are still scarce. Therefore, we developed a nurse-led, stepped-care, e-health intervention aimed at enhancing the return to work of patients with cancer. The objective of this study is to describe the content of the intervention and the study design used to evaluate the feasibility and (cost) effectiveness of the intervention.

Unemployment risk 2 years and 4 years following gastric cancer diagnosis: a population-based study.

Purpose: The needs of gastric cancer survivors have received limited attention. Returning to work after gastric cancer has not yet been described in a population-based study. We aimed to examine the unemployment risk at 2 and 4 years after gastric cancer.

Unemployment Risk and Decreased Income Two and Four Years After Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis: A Population-Based Study.

Background: Thyroid cancer (TC) often occurs in relatively young patients and has a high cure rate. However, decreased psychological and physical well-being may reduce the work capability of patients with TC. This study aimed to compare the risk for unemployment and decreased income in TC survivors with a matched non-cancer group at two and four years after diagnosis.

Employment status, difficulties at work and quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease patients.

Objectives: To assess employment status, difficulties at work and sick leave in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and their relation with sociodemographic and clinical factors, quality of life (QoL), and anxiety and depression.

Materials And Methods: IBD patients attending an IBD outpatients' clinic received self-report questionnaires on employment status, IBD-related difficulties at work and sick leave (Trimbos/iMTA questionnaire for Costs associated with Psychiatric Illness), sociodemographic factors, QoL (Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire and 12-item Short-form Health Survey) and anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Disease activity was assessed by their gastroenterologist.

Enhancing the Return to Work of Cancer Survivors: Development and Feasibility of the Nurse-Led eHealth Intervention Cancer@Work.

Background: It is important to enhance the return to work of cancer survivors with an appropriate intervention, as cancer survivors experience problems upon their return to work but consider it an essential part of their recovery.

Objective: The objective of our study was to develop an eHealth intervention to enhance the return to work of cancer survivors and to test the feasibility of the eHealth intervention with end users.

Methods: To develop the intervention we 1) searched the literature, 2) interviewed 7 eHealth experts, 3) interviewed 7 cancer survivors, 2 employers, and 7 occupational physicians, and 4) consulted experts.

The Quality of Working Life Questionnaire for Cancer Survivors (QWLQ-CS): a Pre-test Study.

Background: Returning to and continuing work is important to many cancer survivors, but also represents a challenge. We know little about subjective work outcomes and how cancer survivors perceive being returned to work. Therefore, we developed the Quality of Working Life Questionnaire for Cancer Survivors (QWLQ-CS).

Design of a multicentre randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a tailored clinical support intervention to enhance return to work for gastrointestinal cancer patients.

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is frequently diagnosed in people of working age, and many GI cancer patients experience work-related problems. Although these patients often experience difficulties returning to work, supportive work-related interventions are lacking. We have therefore developed a tailored work-related support intervention for GI cancer patients, and we aim to evaluate its cost-effectiveness compared with the usual care provided.

Return-to-work intervention for cancer survivors: budget impact and allocation of costs and returns in the Netherlands and six major EU-countries.

Background: Return-to-work (RTW)-interventions support cancer survivors in resuming work, but come at additional healthcare costs. The objective of this study was to assess the budget impact of a RTW-intervention, consisting of counselling sessions with an occupational physician and an exercise-programme. The secondary objective was to explore how the costs of RTW-interventions and its financial revenues are allocated among the involved stakeholders in several EU-countries.

Unemployment risk and income change after testicular cancer diagnosis: A population-based study.

Background: Among patients with cancer, returning to full working may serve as an indicator for return to normal lifestyle following illness, as opposed to unemployment or shifting to part-time work. The aim of the project was to clarify the association between unemployment risk and decreased income at 4 years after the diagnosis of testicular cancer (TC).

Participants And Methods: A case control in a cohort study includes baseline measurement of people participating in the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics 1995 National Census, and follow-up until 2011.

Interventions to enhance return-to-work for cancer patients.

Background: Cancer patients are 1.4 times more likely to be unemployed than healthy people. Therefore it is important to provide cancer patients with programmes to support the return-to-work (RTW) process.

Quality of working life of cancer survivors: development of a cancer-specific questionnaire.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to generate, and select quality of working life issues for the development of an initial version of the Quality of Working Life Questionnaire for Cancer Survivors (QWLQ-CS).

Methods: Quality of working life issues were generated through focus groups with cancer survivors and oncological occupational physicians, and interviews with employers, supervisors, and organization officers. A selection of these quality of working life issues was made based on relevance and importance by conducting an online questionnaire among the cancer survivors and oncological occupational physicians.

Quality of working life issues of employees with a chronic physical disease: a systematic review.

Purpose: To assess issues that contribute to the Quality of Working Life (QWL) of employees with a chronic physical disease.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using the databases PubMed, PsycINFO and EMBASE. Experiences and perceptions during the working life of employees with a chronic physical disease were extracted and synthesized into issues that contributed to their QWL.

A work-directed intervention to enhance the return to work of employees with cancer: a case study.

The purpose of this case study was to describe how the return-to-work process evolved in an employee with cancer in the Netherlands and how a work-directed intervention supported this process. The patient was a 35-year old female employee diagnosed with cervix carcinoma. After surgery, the patient experienced depression, fatigue, fear of recurrence, and low mental working capacity.

The European Cancer and Work Network: CANWON.

Purpose: The number of cancer survivors is rapidly growing due to improved treatment and ageing population. Almost half of cancer patients will experience a cancer diagnosis during working age when career and work-related issues play an important role. Many cancer survivors are at risk for unemployment which greatly affects their quality of life and financial situation.

Measurement properties of the Work Limitations Questionnaire were sufficient among cancer survivors.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine reproducibility, validity, and responsiveness of the Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ) among cancer survivors.

Methods: A cohort of 53 cancer survivors completed the WLQ and other questionnaires at baseline, 4-week, and 6-month follow-up. We assessed internal consistency, intraclass correlation coefficient, standard error of measurement, floor- and ceiling effects and compared the WLQ with other constructs.

Effectiveness of a hospital-based work support intervention for female cancer patients - a multi-centre randomised controlled trial.

Objective: One key aspect of cancer survivorship is return-to-work. Unfortunately, many cancer survivors face problems upon their return-to-work. For that reason, we developed a hospital-based work support intervention aimed at enhancing return-to-work.

Work adjustments in a representative sample of employees with a chronic disease in the Netherlands.

Purpose: The aims of this study are: (1) to describe the prevalence of needed and implemented work adjustments in a representative sample of Dutch employees with a chronic disease; and (2) to assess the effects of needed and implemented work adjustments on sick leave.

Methods: The prevalence of work adjustments was assessed in employees with a chronic disease, aged between 15 and 65 years (n = 7,687) from the 2007 Netherlands Working Conditions Survey (NWCS). Of these, N = 2,631 employees participated in the Netherlands Working Conditions Cohort Study (NWCCS) measurements in 2008 and 2009.

Physical exercise and return to work: cancer survivors' experiences.

Purpose: In this qualitative study, we aimed to explore cancer survivors' experiences with (1) return to work (RtW) and work performance, (2) a physical exercise program after treatment, and (3) the perceived link between physical exercise and work.

Methods: Semi-structured individual interviews were held with ten cancer survivors of working age who had been treated with chemotherapy and had afterwards completed a group-based supervised physical exercise program. The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim.