abstract: 'BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests that cancer survivors are

  able to return to work. However, little is known about their work

  situation 5 years after diagnosis.

  OBJECTIVE: To explore fluctuations in employment status and its

  association with quality of life 2, 3, and 5 years after cancer

  diagnosis of 65 cancer survivors employed at diagnosis.

  METHODS: In association with a randomised controlled trial (RCT),

  questionnaires were administrated to eligible cancer survivors at

  diagnosis, 2, 3, and 5 years thereafter comprising of validated

  questionnaires related to work (i.e. Work Ability Index (WAI), cancer,

  and quality of life (QOL) (i.e. SF-36, VAS QOL). The RCT studied a

  hospital-based work support intervention in female breast and

  gynaecological cancer survivors who were treated with curative intent

  and had paid work at diagnosis. Descriptive statistics and longitudinal

  multi-level analysis were employed.

  RESULTS: Sixty-five of the 102 eligible cancer survivors participated,

  who were primarily diagnosed with breast cancer (63\%). Two and 5 years

  after cancer diagnosis respectively 63 (97\%) and 48 (81\%) participants

  were employed. Reasons for not being employed after 5 years included

  receiving unemployment benefits (7\%), voluntary unemployment (3\%),

  receiving disability benefits (3\%), and early retirement (3\%).

  Longitudinal multi-level analysis showed that employed cancer survivors

  reported in general statistically significant better quality of life

  outcomes at 5 years follow-up compared to those not being employed.

  CONCLUSIONS: We found high employment rates and few fluctuations in

  employment status. The steepest decline in employment rate occurs after

  the first two years of diagnosis. Employed participants reported better

  quality of life outcomes. Survivorship care should therefore focus on

  the population at risk possibly within the first two years after

  diagnosis.'
affiliation: 'Tamminga, SJ (Corresponding Author), Univ Amsterdam, Coronel Inst Occupat
  Hlth, Acad Med Ctr, POB 22660, NL-1100 DD Amsterdam, Netherlands.

  Tamminga, Sietske J.; Jansen, Lyanne P.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.; de Boer,
  Angela G. E. M., Univ Amsterdam, Acad Med Ctr, Coronel Inst Occupat Hlth, Amsterdam
  Publ Hlth Res Inst, Amsterdam, Netherlands.'
author: Tamminga, Sietske J. and Jansen, Lyanne P. and Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.
  and de Boer, Angela G. E. M.
author-email: S.J.Tamminga@amc.nl
author_list:
- family: Tamminga
  given: Sietske J.
- family: Jansen
  given: Lyanne P.
- family: Frings-Dresen
  given: Monique H. W.
- family: de Boer
  given: Angela G. E. M.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.3233/WOR-203234
eissn: 1875-9270
files: []
issn: 1051-9815
journal: WORK-A JOURNAL OF PREVENTION ASSESSMENT \& REHABILITATION
keywords: 'Neoplasm; unemployment; labour participation; work disability; cancer

  survivorship'
keywords-plus: 'HEALTH SURVEY; WORK ABILITY; SURVIVORS; RETURN; FACILITATORS; BARRIERS;

  FATIGUE; SF-36'
language: English
number: '4'
number-of-cited-references: '28'
orcid-numbers: de Boer, Angela/0000-0003-1942-6848
pages: 901-907
papis_id: d93e89cedf973a8576ebab1a8536b8c1
ref: Tamminga2020longtermemployment
times-cited: '9'
title: 'Long-term employment status and quality of life after cancer: A longitudinal
  prospective cohort study from diagnosis up to and including 5 years post diagnosis'
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:000572785500019
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '7'
volume: '66'
web-of-science-categories: Public, Environmental \& Occupational Health
year: '2020'