Social inequality, cancer, multiple diseases and return to work - intervention and prediction

Cancer relevance
Due to the constant improvements in cancer treatment, still more people survive cancer. They not only face the challenges of returning to work similar to those on sickness absence due to other types of diagnoses, but face cancer specific Return To Work (RTW) challenges such as stigma and in some cases also the side effects of certain treatment forms, e.g. chemotherapy. This, and the fact that cancer survivors have prolonged sickness absence before returning to work and cancer is a known risk factor for early withdrawal from the labour market, makes it highly relevant to focus specifically on re-integrating cancer survivors to working life. This transition from work to sickness absence or disability pension for cancer survivors is furthermore found to be more pronounced in lower socioeconomic groups.
Despite a growing body of evidence for promoting RTW in general, there is a lack of knowledge targeting the RTW-process for cancer patients specifically, particularly with regards to the role of socioeconomic factors and co-morbidity.
This project introduces an early, tailor-made occupational rehabilitation conducted by a municipal job consultant at the oncology ward aiming to facilitate the RTW-process for cancer patients. The job consultant applies a systematic need assessment, integrated in the “Individual Placement and Support Model” (IPS) and a dialogue inspired by “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy” to supports the patient’s RTW-process.
A qualitative, observational and interview study, investigates experiences and reactions of patients and stakeholders that participate in the above described early occupational rehabilitation.
Combined questionnaire- and register-based studies will examine health behavior, quality of life and return to work pre- and post cancer diagnoses.
Funding:
Danish Cancer Society
Den Sundhedsvidenskabelige Forkningsfond, Region Midtjylland
Helsefonden