title: Employment status and work-related difficulties in lung cancer survivors compared with the general population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the employment status of lung cancer survivors and the work-related problems they face.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Although the number of lung cancer survivors is increasing, little is known about their employment and work-related issues.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 830 lung cancer survivors 12 months after lung cancer curative surgery (median time after diagnosis, 4.11 years) and 1000 volunteers from the general population. All participants completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, Core 30-item and a questionnaire that included items relating to their jobs. We used logistic regression analysis to identify independent predictors of unemployment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The employment rate of lung cancer survivors decreased from 68.6% at the time of diagnosis to 38.8% after treatment, which was significantly lower than the employment rate of the general population (63.5%; adjusted odds ratio = 2.31, 95% confidence interval: 1.66-3.22). The posttreatment unemployment rate was higher for women than for men. Among survivors, employment was inversely associated with older age, household income, number of comorbidities, and poor social functioning. Fatigue (78.6%) was the most common work-related problem reported by survivors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lung cancer survivors experienced more difficulties in employment than did the general population. Age, monthly household income, number of comorbidities, and social functioning appear to be important factors influencing employment status. These findings suggest that lung cancer survivors need support to cope with the financial impact of cancer.
authors: *Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang †Graduate School of Public Health, Korea University, Seoul ‡Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul §Center for Lung Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang ¶Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul ‖Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Young Ae
authors: YA
authors: Kim
authors: Young Ho
authors: YH
authors: Yun
authors: Yoon Jung
authors: YJ
authors: Chang
authors: Jongmog
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Moon Soo
authors: MS
authors: Kim
authors: Hyun-Sung
authors: HS
authors: Lee
authors: Jae Ill
authors: JI
authors: Zo
authors: Jhingook
authors: J
authors: Kim
authors: Yong Soo
authors: YS
authors: Choi
authors: Young Mog
authors: YM
authors: Shim
authors: Seok-Jun
authors: SJ
authors: Yoon
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017132:Workplace / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*