title: Barriers and facilitators for return to work in cancer survivors with job loss experience: a focus group study.
abstract: Over 50% of cancer survivors lose their job or quit working. Cancer survivors who experience job loss may face different challenges regarding return to work, compared to cancer survivors with employers. This qualitative study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators for return to work in cancer survivors with job loss and in insurance physicians who assist cancer survivors in their return to work. We conducted five focus groups and one interview (cancer survivors, N = 17; insurance physicians, N = 23). Topics included, among others, experience of job loss and barriers and facilitators for return to work. Data were audio recorded and analysed using thematic analysis. Our main finding was that cancer survivors experienced a double loss: loss of job on top of loss of health. As a result, cancer survivors feared for job applications, lacked opportunities to gradually increase work ability, and faced reluctance from employers in hiring them. Insurance physicians expressed a need for more frequent and longer consultations with cancer survivors with job loss. We conclude that cancer survivors who experience double loss encounter specific barriers in the return to work process. This calls for a tailored approach regarding return to work support.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Research Center for Insurance Medicine, AMC-UMCG-UWV-VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: van Egmond
authors.affiliation: Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Department of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S F A
authors.initials: SFA
authors.lastname: Duijts
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Vermeulen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Research Center for Insurance Medicine, AMC-UMCG-UWV-VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van der Beek
authors.affiliation: Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Research Center for Insurance Medicine, AMC-UMCG-UWV-VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Anema
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000073116:Cancer Survivors; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D007586:Job Application; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010820:Physicians; D036301:Qualitative Research; D062707:Return to Work; D014478:Unemployment
keywords: barriers; cancer survivors; facilitators; precarious employment; qualitative; return to work