Working with Cancer: Health and Employment among Cancer Survivors [public access]

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Ann Epidemiol
• Personal Author:
  Clarke, Tainya C. ; Christ, Sharon L. ; Soler-Vila, Hosanna ; Lee, David J. ; Arheart, Kristopher L. ; Prado, Guillermo ; Fleming, Lora E.
• Description:
  Background
  
  Cancer affects a growing proportion of US workers. Factors contributing to whether they continue or return to work after cancer diagnosis include: age, physical and mental health, health insurance, education, and cancer site. The purpose of this study was to assess the complex relationships between health indicators and employment status for adult cancer survivors.
  
  Methods
  
  We analyzed pooled data from the 1997–2012 US National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Our sample included adults with a self-reported physician diagnosis of cancer (n=24,810)) and adults with no cancer history (n=382,837). Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we evaluated the relationship between socio-demographic factors, cancer site, and physical and mental health indicators on the overall health and employment status among adults with a cancer history.
  
  Results
  
  The overall model for cancer survivors fit the data well (χ2 (374)=3654.7, p <0.001; CFI = 0.98; RMSEA=0.04). Although black cancer survivors were less likely to report good-to-excellent health, along with Hispanic survivors they were more more likely to continue to work after diagnosis compared with their white counterparts. Health insurance status and educational level were strongly and positively associated with health status and current employment. Age and time since diagnosis were not significantly assocated with health status or employment, but there were significant differences by cancer site.
  
  Conclusion
  
  A proportion of cancer survivors may continue to work because of employment-based health insurance, despite reporting poor health and significant physical and mental health limitations. Acute and long term health and social support are essential for the continued productive employment and quality of life of all cancer survivors.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Adult Aged Black Or African American Cross-Sectional Studies Educational Status Employment Female Health Status Disparities Health Status Indicators Hispanic Or Latino Humans Insurance, Health Male Middle Aged Neoplasms Quality Of Life Survivors United States White People Young Adult

  More +
• Source:
  Ann Epidemiol. 25(11):832-838
• Pubmed ID:
  26320705
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC9884513
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  F31 CA153937/CA/NCI NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R01 OH003915/OH/NIOSH CDC HHSUnited States/ ; 1F31CA153937/CA/NCI NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R01 OH03915/OH/NIOSH CDC HHSUnited States/
• Volume:
  25
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:na
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1ca4316c6eaaf8753aba879a25a5946027cd488f2f5e3c0e08afcbc652c3151e81c8d8509a85854a4f29212757a27144a186aaa29d32d2cb0fb12af80c71e299
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/124075/cdc_124075_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 768.16 KB ]