Return to work and work productivity in patients
with breast cancer: a longitudinal study (abridged secondary publication)
WWT Lam1 R Fielding1, A Mehnert2, A Kwong3, M Chan4, A Or4, D Fong5, A Molasiotis5,6, W So7, S Chan8
1 School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
2 University Medical Center, The University of Leipzig, Germany
3 Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
4 Kwong Wah Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
5 School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
6 School of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
7 The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
8 Department of Surgery, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Among patients with breast cancer, 52% returned to work within 24 months after surgery, although some required up to 284 days until workforce reentry.
- Older age, extensive surgery, chemo- and/or radiotherapy, and unfavourable working condition (prolonged sitting) were barriers to return to work.
- Higher monthly household income and the presence of financial difficulties were factors associated with return to work.
- The presence of nausea at baseline predicted greater absenteeism at 24 months post-surgery.
- Excessive job demands predicted greater loss in a patient’s work ability and performance at 24 months post-surgery.