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Cancer Survivors and Work

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Book cover Handbook of Occupational Health and Wellness

Part of the book series: Handbooks in Health, Work, and Disability ((SHHDW))

Abstract

The concerns of cancer survivors in the workplace are increasingly important as the number of cancer survivors increases and as the working population ages. Most cancer survivors work after completing treatment for cancer out of economic necessity and/or a desire to regain normalcy. However, a substantial number of cancer survivors have work-related difficulty. Variables that affect work outcomes include cancer survivor demographics (particularly age, education, and job type), medical characteristics (e.g., cancer site and stage, and symptom level), cognitive and emotional factors (e.g., perceived value of work), and work environment characteristics (e.g., social support at work and work flexibility). This Chapter will assist the researcher and provider in obtaining an up-to-date review of the epidemiological factors that contribute to this public health challenge in the workplace. The Chapter will also provide a working model of cancer and work to assist in the conceptualization of this problem for occupational health. Lastly, the available literature on interventions for one outcome—return-to-work—will be discussed. Some areas for future exploration and potential application are also discussed.

The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as being official or as reflecting the views of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences or the Department of Defense.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, 20814, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Michal C. Moskowitz M.S. & Briana L. Todd M.A., M.S.

  2. Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology and Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA

    Michael Feuerstein Ph.D., M.P.H.

Authors
  1. Michal C. Moskowitz M.S.
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  2. Briana L. Todd M.A., M.S.
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  3. Michael Feuerstein Ph.D., M.P.H.
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Correspondence to Michael Feuerstein Ph.D., M.P.H. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Arlington, S. Nedderman Drive 501, Arlington, 76019-0528, Texas, USA

    Robert J. Gatchel

  2. , Dept of Educational and Counseling Psych, University of British Columbia, Main Hall 2125, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, British Columbia, Canada

    Izabela Z. Schultz

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Moskowitz, M.C., Todd, B.L., Feuerstein, M. (2012). Cancer Survivors and Work. In: Gatchel, R., Schultz, I. (eds) Handbook of Occupational Health and Wellness. Handbooks in Health, Work, and Disability. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4839-6_7

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