Unemployment Among Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A Report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

Details

• Personal Author:
  Armstrong GT ; Friedman DL ; Hudson MM ; Kirchhoff AC ; Krull KR ; Leisenring W ; Ness KK ; Oeffinger KC ; Park ER ; Robison LL ; Stovall M ; Wickizer T
• Description:
  Background: Adult childhood cancer survivors report high levels of unemployment, although it is unknown whether this is because of health or employability limitations. Objectives: We examined 2 employment outcomes from 2003 in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS): (1) health-related unemployment and (2) unemployed but seeking work. We compared survivors with a nearest-age CCSS sibling cohort and examined demographic and treatment-related risk groups for each outcome. Methods: We studied 6339 survivors and 1967 siblings >/=25 years of age excluding those unemployed by choice. Multivariable generalized linear models evaluated whether survivors were more likely to be unemployed than siblings and whether certain survivors were at a higher risk for unemployment. Results: Survivors (10.4%) reported health-related unemployment more often than siblings (1.8%; Relative Risk [RR], 6.07; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 4.32-8.53). Survivors (5.7%) were more likely to report being unemployed but seeking work than siblings (2.7%; RR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.43-2.54). Health-related unemployment was more common in female survivors than males (Odds Ratio [OR], 1.73; 95% CI, 1.43-2.08). Cranial radiotherapy doses >/=25 Gy were associated with higher odds of unemployment (health-related: OR, 3.47; 95% CI, 2.54-4.74; seeking work: OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.15-2.71). Unemployed survivors reported higher levels of poor physical functioning than employed survivors, and had lower education and income and were more likely to be publicly insured than unemployed siblings. Conclusions: Childhood cancer survivors have higher levels of unemployment because of health or being between jobs. High-risk survivors may need vocational assistance. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Occupational Health Safety Sex Characteristics
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Pediatric Cancer Cancer Survivors Cancer Survivorship Children Employment Occupations Sex Factors Socioeconomic Factors Socioeconomics Unemployment
• ISSN:
  0025-7079
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; New York ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 6 ; Tennessee ; Texas ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  48
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20056803
• Citation:
  Med Care 2010 Nov; 48(11):1015-1025
• Contact Point Address:
  Anne Kirchhoff, PhD, MPH, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, M3-B232, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109
• Email:
  akirchho@fhcrc.org
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2011
• Performing Organization:
  University of Washington
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Medical Care
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f4563927df98e3f132582b21616ab67216fdc84aa2f220a11ac81162bd5b7dc636fe1a244046ec8476d67f46b77998f21d22c51065b24c490c3ce0bd271bc72b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/214319/cdc_214319_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 172.00 KB ]