scholarly journals Cancer-work management: Hourly and salaried wage women’s experiences managing the cancer-work interface following new breast cancer diagnosis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. e0241795
Author(s):  
J. Kathleen Tracy ◽  
Fiyinfolu Adetunji ◽  
Gulam M. Al Kibria ◽  
Jennifer E. Swanberg
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Hourly Wage ◽  
Women’S Experiences ◽  
Women's Experiences ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Work Management

Objective The purpose of this paper is to report the baseline characteristics of EMPOWER participants—a group of newly diagnosed breast cancer survivors—and describe differences in hourly and salaried wage women’s experiences regarding cancer and work management in the three months following breast cancer diagnosis. Design and setting The EMployment and Potential Outcomes of Working through canceER (EMPOWER) project is a prospective longitudinal, mixed methods pilot study designed to evaluate how employment influences treatment decisions among women diagnosed with breast cancer. Participants were women diagnosed with new breast cancer and treated at one of two clinical sites of the University of Maryland Medical System. Women were enrolled in the study within three months of first breast cancer diagnosis. Study visits occurred every three months for one year. This paper reports data from for the baseline and three-month visit which had been completed by all enrollees. Methods Trained research personnel collected demographic information, medical history and health status, social history, employment data, cancer-related data, psychosocial adjustment, and financial wellbeing at the baseline enrollment visit. A semi-structured qualitative interview was administered at the three-month study visit to assess employment decisions and the impact of job demands, cancer care, and cancer-work fit during the three months following diagnosis. Result Fifty women with new, primary diagnosis of breast cancer were enrolled in the study. Mean age of participants was 51 years, and 46% identified their race as Black or other. The majority of women disclosed their diagnosis to their employer and nearly all maintained some level of employment during the first three to six months of treatment. Women with hourly wage jobs were similar to those with salaried wage jobs with respect to demographic and social characteristics. Women with hourly wage jobs were more likely to report working in physically demanding jobs and taking unpaid leave. They were also more likely to experience side effects that required physical restrictions at work, to leave their jobs due to demands of treatment, and to report managing cancer and work concurrently as very difficult. Women in salaried wage jobs were more likely to report falling behind or missing work and working remotely as a cancer-management strategy. Women in hourly jobs more often reported difficulty managing the competing demands of cancer and work. Conclusion While further study is needed, these results suggest that women in hourly and salaried workers reported similar experiences managing cancer and work, with a few key exceptions. These exceptions pertain to the nature of hourly-wage work. Cancer survivors employed in hourly jobs may be more vulnerable to poor employment outcomes due to limited access to paid time off and workplace flexibility, and challenges related to managing physical aspects of cancer and employment.

Divorce after breast cancer diagnosis and its impact on quality of life

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Danbee Kang ◽  
Nayeon Kim ◽  
Gayeon Han ◽  
Sooyeon Kim ◽  
Hoyoung Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
After Cancer ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objective This study aims to identify factors associated with divorce following breast cancer diagnosis and measures the impact of divorce on the quality of life (QoL) of patients. Methods We used cross-sectional survey data collected at breast cancer outpatient clinics in South Korea from November 2018 to April 2019. Adult breast cancer survivors who completed active treatment without any cancer recurrence at the time of the survey (N = 4,366) were included. The participants were classified into two groups: “maintaining marriage” and “being divorced,” between at the survey and at the cancer diagnosis. We performed logistic regression and linear regression to identify the factors associated with divorce after cancer diagnosis and to compare the QoL of divorced and nondivorced survivors. Results Approximately 11.1/1,000 of married breast cancer survivors experienced divorce after cancer diagnosis. Younger age, lower education, and being employed at diagnosis were associated with divorce. Being divorced survivors had significantly lower QoL (Coefficient [Coef] = −7.50; 95% CI = −13.63, −1.36), social functioning (Coef = −9.47; 95% CI = −16.36, −2.57), and body image (Coef = −8.34; 95% CI = −6.29, −0.39) than survivors who remained married. They also experienced more symptoms including pain, insomnia, financial difficulties, and distress due to hair loss. Conclusion Identifying risk factors of divorce will ultimately help ascertain the resources necessary for early intervention.

Exploring Women’s Experiences and Family Role Shifts Superseding a Breast Cancer Diagnosis

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Violeta Dimitrova Kadieva ◽  
Denise Alicia Nicholas Williams ◽  
Antonia Hernandez ◽  
Nicolette Aguon
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Family Role ◽  
Women’S Experiences ◽  
Women's Experiences

scholarly journals The impact of chronic comorbidities at the time of breast cancer diagnosis on quality of life, and emotional health following treatment in Canada

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256536
Author(s):  
Jasleen Arneja ◽  
Jennifer D. Brooks
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Chronic Condition ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
The Impact

Introduction Advances in breast cancer screening and treatment have led to an increasing number of breast cancer survivors. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of comorbidities on self-reported quality of life (QOL) and emotional health following a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Methods Women with a personal history of breast cancer (N = 3,372) were identified from the cross-sectional Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC) Experiences of Cancer Patients in Transitions Survey. Multinomial (nominal) logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the relationship between burden of comorbidities and overall QOL and emotional health (very poor/poor, fair, good, very good). Results Of the 3,372 participants, 57% reported at least one chronic condition at the time of breast cancer diagnosis. As the number of chronic conditions at diagnosis increased, the odds of reporting worse quality of life and emotional health following treatment also increased. Specifically, compared to women reporting very good QOL, for each additional chronic condition, women reported significantly higher odds of reporting good (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.32), fair (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.58, 1.96), or poor/very poor (OR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.86, 2.88) QOL. Similarly, for each additional comorbidity, women reported significantly higher odds of reporting good (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.28), fair (OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.46, 1.82), or poor/very poor (OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.81, 2.60) emotional health, relative to very good emotional health. Conclusion Breast cancer survivors coping with a high comorbidity burden experience worse overall QOL and emotional health following treatment. This highlights the importance of integrating information on comorbidities into survivorship care to improve the experience and overall outcomes of patients with complex needs.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak on Emotional and Cognitive Vulnerability in Iranian Women With Breast Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad H. Choobin ◽  
Vida Mirabolfathi ◽  
Bethany Chapman ◽  
Ali Reza Moradi ◽  
Elizabeth A. Grunfeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Cognitive Vulnerability ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Emotional Vulnerability ◽  
The Impact

The psychological cost on emotional well-being due to the collateral damage brought about by COVID-19 in accessing oncological services for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment has been documented by recent studies in the United Kingdom. The current study set out to examine the effect of delays to scheduled oncology services on emotional and cognitive vulnerability in women with a breast cancer diagnosis in Iran, one of the very first countries to be heavily impacted by COVID-19. One hundred thirty-nine women with a diagnosis of primary breast cancer answered a series of online questionnaires to assess the current state of rumination, worry, and cognitive vulnerability as well as the emotional impact of COVID-19 on their mental health. Results indicated that delays in accessing oncology services significantly increased COVID related emotional vulnerability. Regression analyses revealed that after controlling for the effects of sociodemographic and clinical variables, women’s COVID related emotional vulnerability explained higher levels of ruminative response and chronic worry as well as poorer cognitive function. This study is the first in Iran to demonstrate that the effects of COVID-19 on emotional health amongst women affected by breast cancer can exaggerate anxiety and depressive related symptoms increasing risks for clinical levels of these disorders. Our findings call for an urgent need to address these risks using targeted interventions exercising resilience.

How do women with secondary breast cancer experience telling their adolescent children about their diagnosis?

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. 1223-1233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonie Lalayiannis ◽  
Nicky Asbury ◽  
Graham Dyson ◽  
Amanda Walshe
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Primary Cancer ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cancer Experience ◽  
Secondary Breast Cancer ◽  
The Impact

This study investigated how women with secondary breast cancer experience telling their adolescent children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who had been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer at least 1 year prior to the interview. Seven women, who had at least one child between 12 and 19 years old living at home at the time of diagnosis, were interviewed. The interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis for an in-depth understanding of women’s experiences. Women found that it was easier to tell their children of their secondary breast cancer diagnosis compared to their primary cancer. However, they talked about the impact the diagnosis had on their family.

Mammography use in breast cancer survivors: An administrative claims study.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 6531-6531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Jean Ruddy ◽  
Lindsey R. Sangaralingham ◽  
Heather B. Neuman ◽  
Caprice Christian Greenberg ◽  
Rachel A. Freedman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Breast Tissue ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
First Year ◽  
Administrative Claims ◽  
Mammography Use

6531 Background: Annual mammography is recommended to screen residual breast tissue for new cancers and recurrent disease after treatment for early stage breast cancer. This study aimed to assess mammography rates over time in breast cancer survivors. Methods: We used administrative claims data from a large U.S. commercial insurance database, OptumLabs, to retrospectively identify privately- and Medicare Advantage-insured women with operable breast cancer who had residual breast tissue after definitive breast surgery between 2006 and 2015. We required coverage for at least 13 months following surgery. For each subsequent 13-month time period, we only included women without a loss of coverage, bilateral mastectomy, metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, or non-breast cancer diagnosis. We calculated the proportion of patients who had a mammogram during each 13-month period following breast surgery. We used multivariable logistic regression to test for factors associated with mammography in the first 13 months. Results: The cohort included 26,011 women followed for a median of 2.9 years (IQR 1.9-4.6) after surgery; 63.1% were less than 65 years of age, and 74.4% were white. In their first year of follow-up, 86% underwent mammography, but by year 7, this decreased to 73%. Fewer than 1% underwent MRI instead of mammography. In multivariable analysis, mammograms were less likely during the first year after surgery among women aged < 50 years (odds ratio [OR], 0.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6 to 0.8), African Americans (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.7 to 0.8), patients who underwent mastectomy (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.6 to 0.7), and patients residing in the Western part of the country (OR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.7 to 0.9). Those with 1-2 comorbidities were more likely (OR, 1.1; 95% CI 1.1-1.2) than those with none to have a mammogram during that period. Mammography use did not differ significantly by year of diagnosis (2006-2015). Conclusions: Even in an insured cohort, a substantial proportion of breast cancer survivors do not undergo annual surveillance mammography. Mammography use falls as the time from the early stage breast cancer diagnosis increases. Understanding factors associated with lack of mammographic screening may help improve survivorship care.

The impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on women’s work status.

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (7_suppl) ◽  
pp. 23-23
Author(s):  
Lucinda Barry ◽  
Leanne Storer ◽  
Meron Pitcher
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Financial Stress ◽  
Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Work Status ◽  
Paid Employment ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Woman's Work ◽  
One Year ◽  
The Impact

23 Background: The diagnosis and treatment of cancer often causes financial stress, partly by impacting on the ability to continue in paid employment. Our aim was to identify changes in work status 12 months after a diagnosis of breast cancer. Methods: An audit of the medical records of women who presented to the Western Health (Victoria, Australia) nurse led breast cancer Survivorship Clinic (SC) between October 2015 and October 2016 was performed to identify employment status at diagnosis and at their review at SC 12 months later. Results: 111 records were reviewed. The mean age was 55 (range 28-82yrs). 84 of these women (76%) were 65 years of younger at the time of diagnosis. 46 of the 84 women ≤65 years were in paid employment at diagnosis (55%), and 38 (83%) were still working in some capacity at review in the SC. Of the 38 still working, 28 were working in the same capacity, 8 were working reduced hours, and 2 were working increased hours. Women who had axillary dissections were most likely to have changed work status. Financial stress was reported by 8/19 of women who stopped working or had changed work hours, including 9 no longer in paid employment and 10 with changed hours. 2/28 women working in the same capacity reported financial stress. 65% of those who reported financial stress (11/17) had chemotherapy as part of their treatment. Conclusions: A breast cancer diagnosis has the ability to influence a woman's work status one year after diagnosis. Health professionals should appreciate the potential work concerns and financial stresses continuing to affect their patients.

The Impact of a Breast Cancer Diagnosis on Religious/Spiritual Beliefs and Practices in the UK

2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. C. V. Thuné-Boyle ◽  
J. Stygall ◽  
M. R. S. Keshtgar ◽  
T. I. Davidson ◽  
S. P. Newman
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Spiritual Beliefs ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact
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