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Early-stage breast cancer and employment participation after two years of follow-up: a comparison with age-matched controls
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February 13 2018
Source: Cancer. 124(9):2026-2035 -
Alternative Title:Cancer
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Personal Author:
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Description:Background
Cancer survivors are more likely to be unemployed than individuals without a cancer history, however employment participation after early-stage breast cancer has not been widely studied. The objectives of this study were to evaluate employment trajectories in a cohort of early-stage breast cancer patients and age-matched controls from diagnosis to 2-year follow-up, and identify factors associated with diminished and emerging employment participation.
Methods
As part of a larger cohort study of 1,096 early-stage breast cancer patients and same-aged women without breast cancer, data from 723 working-age (40-64 years) women (347 patients and 376 controls) were analyzed to evaluate four employment trajectories (sustained unemployment, diminished employment, emerging employment, sustained employment). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with diminished employment versus sustained employment, and emerging employment versus sustained unemployment.
Results
Lower proportions of patients (71%) than controls (79%) reported full- or part-time employment at enrollment (p < 0.01). Fatigue was a significant predictor of diminished employment for both patients (OR=5.71, 95% CI =2.48-13.15) and controls (OR=2.38, 95% CI=1.21-5.28). Among patients, African-American race (OR=4.02, 95% CI=1.57-10.28) and public/uninsured insurance status (OR=4.76, 95% CI =1.34-12.38) were associated with diminished employment. Among controls, high social support was associated with emerging employment (OR=3.12, 95% CI =1.25-7.79).
Conclusions
Fatigued patients, African-American patients and publicly insured/uninsured cancer patients were more likely to experience diminished employment after two years of follow-up. Further investigation with longer follow-up is warranted to identify factors associated with these disparities in employment participation after early-stage breast cancer treatment.
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Pubmed ID:29437204
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Pubmed Central ID:PMC5910179
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