Full Citation
Title: Impact of cancer on work and education among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors.
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2012
ISBN:
ISSN: 1527-7755
DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2011.39.6333
NSFID:
PMCID:
PMID: 22614977
Abstract: PURPOSE To examine the impact of cancer on work and education in a sample of adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS By using the Adolescent and Young Adult Health Outcomes and Patient Experience Study (AYA HOPE)-a cohort of 463 recently diagnosed patients age 15 to 39 years with germ cell cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, sarcoma, and acute lymphocytic leukemia from participating Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registries-we evaluated factors associated with return to work/school after cancer diagnosis, a belief that cancer had a negative impact on plans for work/school, and reported problems with work/school after diagnosis by using descriptive statistics, χ(2) tests, and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS More than 72% (282 of 388) of patients working or in school full-time before diagnosis had returned to full-time work or school 15 to 35 months postdiagnosis compared with 34% (14 of 41) of previously part-time workers/students, 7% (one of 14) of homemakers, and 25% (five of 20) of unemployed/disabled patients (P < .001). Among full-time workers/students before diagnosis, patients who were uninsured (odds ratio [OR], 0.21; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.67; no insurance v employer-/school-sponsored insurance) or quit working directly after diagnosis (OR, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.06 to 0.37; quit v no change) were least likely to return. Very intensive cancer treatment and quitting work/school were associated with a belief that cancer negatively influenced plans for work/school. Finally, more than 50% of full-time workers/students reported problems with work/studies after diagnosis. CONCLUSION Although most AYA patients with cancer return to work after cancer, treatment intensity, not having insurance, and quitting work/school directly after diagnosis can influence work/educational outcomes. Future research should investigate underlying causes for these differences and best practices for effective transition of these cancer survivors to the workplace/school after treatment.
Url: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22614977
Url: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=PMC3675694
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Authors: Parsons, Helen M.; Harlan, Linda C.; Lynch, Charles F.; Hamilton, Ann S; Wu, Xiao-Cheng; Kato, Ikuko; Schwartz, Stephen M.; Smith, Ashley Wilder; Keel, Gretchen; Keegan, Theresa H.M.
Periodical (Full): Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
Issue: 19
Volume: 30
Pages: 2393-400
Countries: