title: Employment and cancer: findings from a longitudinal study of breast and prostate cancer survivors.
abstract: We discuss how cancer affected the employment of almost 800 employed patients who participated in a longitudinal study. The greatest reduction in patients' labor supply (defined as employment and weekly hours worked) was observed 6 months following diagnosis. At 12 and 18 months following diagnosis, many patients returned to work. Based on these and other findings related to patients' employment situations, we suggest 4 areas for future research: 1) collection of employment information in cancer studies; 2) research into racial and ethnic minority patients and employment outcomes; 3) interventions to reduce the effects of cancer and its treatment on employment; and 4) investigations into the influence of employment-contingent health insurance on cancer treatment and recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Administration and the Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA. cjbradley@vcu.edu
authors.forename: Cathy J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neumark
authors.forename: Zhehui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Maryjean
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schenk
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*