Work changes and individual, cancer-related, and work-related predictors of decreased work participation among African American cancer survivors.
Cancer Med
; 9(23): 9168-9177, 2020 12.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33159501
ABSTRACT
African American cancer survivors disproportionately experience financial difficulties after cancer. Decreased work participation (going from being employed full time to part time or from employed to not employed) can contribute to financial hardship after cancer but employment outcomes among African American cancer survivors have not been well described. This study estimates the prevalence of work changes and identifies factors associated with decreased work participation among African American cancer survivors. We analyzed data from 916 African American breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer survivors who participated in the Detroit Research on Cancer Survivors (ROCS) cohort and were employed before their cancer diagnosis. Modified Poisson models estimated prevalence ratios of decreased work participation and work changes, including changes to hours, duties, or schedules, between diagnosis and ROCS enrollment controlling for sociodemographic and cancer-related factors. Nearly half of employed survivors made changes to their schedules, duties, or hours worked due to cancer and 34.6% took at least one month off of work, including 18% who took at least one month of unpaid time off. More survivors employed full time (vs. part time) at diagnosis were on disability at ROCS enrollment (18.7% vs. 12.6%, P < 0.001), while fewer were unemployed (5.9% vs. 15.7%, P < 0.001). Nearly half (47.5%) of employed survivors decreased work participation. Taking paid time off was not associated with decreased work participation; however, taking unpaid time off and making work changes were associated with prevalence ratios of decreased work participation of 1.29 (95% CI 1.03, 1.62) and 1.37 (95% CI 1.07, 1.75), respectively. Employment disruptions are common after a cancer diagnosis. Survivors who take unpaid time off and make other work changes may be particularly vulnerable to experiencing decreased work participation.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Black or African American
/
Employment
/
Cancer Survivors
/
Neoplasms
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Aspects:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
America do norte
Language:
En
Journal:
Cancer Med
Year:
2020
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Estados Unidos