title: Sickness absence and disability pension following breast cancer - A population-based matched cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare sickness absence and disability pension in a population-based cohort of women with breast cancer (n = 463) from 1 year pre-diagnosis until 3 years post-diagnosis with a matched control group (n = 2310), and to investigate predictors of sickness absence during the 2nd and 3rd year post-diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following breast cancer, the proportion of disease-free women with sickness absence decreased post-diagnosis (1st-3rd year; 78%-31%-19%), but did not reach the pre-diagnostic level (14%; P < 0.05). Post-diagnosis, patients were more likely than controls to be sickness absent (1st-3rd year; P < 0.001). No between-group differences were observed for disability pension post-diagnosis (P > 0.05). Among patients, chemotherapy, baseline fatigue and pre-diagnosis sick days predicted sickness absence during the 2nd, 3rd, and 2nd and 3rd year post-diagnosis, respectively (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Breast cancer is associated with increased sickness absence 3 years post-diagnosis. In a clinical setting, prevention and treatment of side effects are important in reducing long-term consequences.
authors.affiliation: Regional Cancer Centre, Uppsala University Hospital, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 564, SE-751 22 Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: marie.hoyer.lundh@pubcare.uu.se.
authors.forename: Marie Høyer
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lundh
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 564, SE-751 22 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Alfred Nobels allé 23, 23300, SE-141 83 Huddinge, Sweden.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lampic
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 564, SE-751 22 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Postboks 7804, NO-5020 Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nordin
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Örebro University Hospital, SE-70185 Örebro, Sweden; Centre for Research and Development, Uppsala University, County of Gävleborg, SE-801 88 Gävle, Sweden.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahlgren
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Centre for Clinical Research, Uppsala University, Västmanland County Hospital, SE-721 89 Västerås, Sweden.
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bergkvist
authors.affiliation: Regional Cancer Centre, Uppsala University Hospital, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, PO Box 281, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lambe
authors.affiliation: Regional Cancer Centre, Uppsala University Hospital, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berglund
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Oncology and Radiation Science, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Johansson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010415:Pensions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011878:Radiotherapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012943:Social Security / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
keywords: Breast neoplasms; Cohort study; Disability pension; Population-based; Quality of life; Sickness absence