Employment status and quality of life in recently diagnosed breast cancer survivors.
BACKGROUND
Breast cancer survivors are less likely to be employed than similar healthy women, yet effects of employment on the well being of survivors are largely unknown. In a prospective cohort study of 2013 women diagnosed from 2006 to 2011 with invasive breast cancer in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, we describe associations between hours worked per week and change in employment with quality of life (QOL) from diagnosis through active treatment.


METHODS
Participants completed information on employment status and QOL approximately 2 and 8 months post-diagnosis. QOL was assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy--Breast Cancer. Multivariable linear regression models were adjusted for potential confounders including demographic, diagnostic, and medical care factors to examine associations between employment and QOL.


RESULTS
At baseline, overall well being was higher for women who worked at least some hours per week compared with women who were not working. Women working 1-19 h/week at baseline also had higher functional well being compared with women who were not working. There was a significant, positive association between hours worked per week and physical and social well being. At the 6-month follow-up, women working at least 20 h/week had higher physical and functional well being than those who were not working. Lower scores for physical and functional well being were observed among women who stopped working during the 6-month follow-up period.


CONCLUSIONS
Continuing to work after a breast cancer diagnosis may be beneficial to multiple areas of QOL. Strategies to help women continue working through treatment should be explored.
Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA 94612, USA.
Allegra W
AW
Timperi
Isaac Joshua
IJ
Ergas
David H
DH
Rehkopf
Janise M
JM
Roh
Marilyn L
ML
Kwan
Lawrence H
LH
Kushi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors