title: Work-related predictors of not returning to work after inpatient rehabilitation in cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of the study was to explore the association between work-related factors and not returning to work in cancer patients. The identification of any special issues contributes to the development of occupation-related rehabilitation programmes. This study focused on aspects that may be influenced by patients with the help of counselling (e.g., handling occupational stress).
  
  
  METHODS
  At the beginning and one year after the end of rehabilitation, we asked patients to answer occupation-related questionnaires. We used t-tests and χ(2)-tests as well as logistic regression analyses to address our research questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 333 patients, 21% had not returned to work one year after the end of rehabilitation. In comparison with working patients, patients who were not working reported poorer mental health and more occupational problems at the beginning of rehabilitation. Unemployment at the beginning of rehabilitation, an elevated risk of early retirement and limited self-assessed work ability increased the probability of not returning to work.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients who did not return to work represent a subgroup within rehabilitation. These patients need special support and should receive counselling beyond the time of rehabilitation. This is particularly true for unemployed patients who need intensive help to return to the workforce. Furthermore, patients' estimations of their work ability and their plans for returning to work play a crucial role and should be discussed during rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Center of Psychosocial Medicine, Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany. hi.boettcher@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: Hilke M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Böttcher
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steimann
authors.forename: Anneke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ullrich
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rotsch
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Zurborn
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bergelt
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D062707:Return to Work / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*