title: Am I ready to return to work? Assisting cancer survivors to determine work readiness.
abstract: A critical initial step in work re-entry involves the determination of work readiness. Cancer survivors have requested increased health care provider involvement in their work readiness decisions. However, there has been no exploration of current practices in determining work readiness, and thus no specific recommendations regarding how to assist survivors in answering the question: Am I ready to return to work?
  
  
  
  To explore return to work following cancer and the workplace supports survivors require, we completed an exploratory qualitative study. We conducted semi-structured interviews with (i) cancer survivors (n = 16) and (ii) health care/vocational service providers (n = 16). Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Themes specific to work readiness are discussed.
  
  
  
  Three key processes were deemed relevant to determining work readiness by health care providers and survivors: (1) assessing functional abilities in relation to job demands; (2) identifying survivor strengths and barriers to return to work; and (3) identifying supports available in the workplace. Challenges to work readiness determinations, were described by survivors and providers, related to: (i) the complexity of cancer, (ii) the accuracy of work readiness determinations, and (iii) the lack of established processes for addressing work goals.
  
  
  
  Health care providers need to work collaboratively with survivors to determine if they are physically, cognitively, and emotionally ready to return to work, and with workplaces to determine if they are prepared to provide the necessary supports. Further stakeholder collaboration is also warranted.
  
  
  
  Supports from health care providers in determining work readiness can ensure survivors do not return to work either "too early" or "too late."
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, 500 University Ave., Toronto, ON, M5G 1V7, Canada. mary.kita@utoronto.ca.|Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada. mary.kita@utoronto.ca.|Institute of Work and Health, Toronto, ON, Canada. mary.kita@utoronto.ca.|Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. mary.kita@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stergiou-Kita
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Cancer Rehabilitation and Survivorship Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pritlove
authors.affiliation: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: D Linn
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Holness
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, 500 University Ave., Toronto, ON, M5G 1V7, Canada.|Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kirsh
authors.affiliation: Institute of Work and Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.|School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Dwayne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Eerd
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, 500 University Ave., Toronto, ON, M5G 1V7, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.affiliation: Cancer Rehabilitation and Survivorship Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D062707:Return to Work / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Cancer; Cancer survivors; Employment supports; Return to work; Work readiness
references.citation: Psychooncology. 2005 Nov;14(11):992-1004
references.pmid: 15744780
references.citation: Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2008 Jul;12(3):190-7
references.pmid: 18342571
references.citation: Curr Oncol. 2014 Feb;21(1):e169-71
references.pmid: 24523616
references.citation: Breast. 2011 Dec;20(6):534-8
references.pmid: 21723729
references.citation: Psychooncology. 2012 Jan;21(1):82-9
references.pmid: 21105181
references.citation: J Occup Rehabil. 2005 Dec;15(4):543-56
references.pmid: 16254754
references.citation: Psychooncology. 2012 Nov;21(11):1167-74
references.pmid: 21769990
references.citation: Health Psychol. 2013 Jan;32(1):75-82
references.pmid: 23316855
references.citation: Cancer Control. 2009 Jan;16(1):57-65
references.pmid: 19078931
references.citation: Br J Cancer. 2008 Apr 22;98(8):1342-7
references.pmid: 18349834
references.citation: J Occup Rehabil. 2013 Dec;23(4):516-26
references.pmid: 23423803
references.citation: Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2012;13(11):5791-7
references.pmid: 23317258
references.citation: AAOHN J. 2007 Jul;55(7):290-5
references.pmid: 17665826
references.citation: Brain Inj. 2015;29(11):1362-9
references.pmid: 26287754
references.citation: Psychooncology. 2002 Mar-Apr;11(2):124-31
references.pmid: 11921328
references.citation: Can J Occup Ther. 2014 Jun;81(3):163-72
references.pmid: 25154130
references.citation: Cancer. 2005 Mar 15;103(6):1292-301
references.pmid: 15700265
references.citation: Psychooncology. 2003 Oct-Nov;12(7):647-63
references.pmid: 14502590
references.citation: J Cancer Surviv. 2014 Dec;8(4):657-70
references.pmid: 24993807
references.citation: Med Probl Perform Art. 2012 Dec;27(4):175-80
references.pmid: 23247872
references.citation: Cancer Nurs. 2011 Sep-Oct;34(5):385-92
references.pmid: 21242770
references.citation: Scand J Work Environ Health. 2012 Mar;38(2):144-54
references.pmid: 21986836
references.citation: Acta Oncol. 2007;46(4):417-32
references.pmid: 17497308
references.citation: J Occup Rehabil. 2012 Jun;22(2):241-51
references.pmid: 22105670
references.citation: Soc Sci Med. 2008 Dec;67(11):1826-36
references.pmid: 18851893
references.citation: J Occup Rehabil. 2013 Mar;23(1):93-105
references.pmid: 22996341
references.citation: Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2011 Feb;77(2):109-30
references.pmid: 20117019
references.citation: Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2011 Jul;15(3):267-74
references.pmid: 21478053
references.citation: Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2007 Jan;16(1):17-25
references.pmid: 17227349
references.citation: BMC Public Health. 2013 Jan 05;13:6
references.pmid: 23289708
references.citation: Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2010 May;19(3):317-23
references.pmid: 19708931
references.citation: BMC Public Health. 2012 Jul 23;12:538
references.pmid: 22824548
references.citation: J Occup Rehabil. 2010 Sep;20(3):299-310
references.pmid: 19787442
references.citation: J Lymphoedema. 2008;3(1):20-25
references.pmid: 25506390
references.citation: Can J Occup Ther. 2009 Oct;76(4):276-84
references.pmid: 19891297
references.citation: Jpn J Clin Oncol. 2012 Apr;42(4):295-301
references.pmid: 22319099
references.citation: BMJ. 2000 Jan 1;320(7226):50-2
references.pmid: 10617534
references.citation: Qual Health Res. 2014 Sep;24(9):1183-97
references.pmid: 25097188
references.citation: Support Care Cancer. 2013 Jan;21(1):107-17
references.pmid: 22987093
references.citation: Oncol Nurs Forum. 2004 May;31(3):537-42
references.pmid: 15146219
references.citation: Can Fam Physician. 2015 Jan;61(1):e36-42
references.pmid: 25756147
references.citation: BMC Cancer. 2009 Apr 21;9:117
references.pmid: 19383123
references.citation: J Occup Rehabil. 2012 Mar;22(1):71-7
references.pmid: 21870065
references.citation: J Occup Rehabil. 2003 Sep;13(3):169-81
references.pmid: 12966691
references.citation: J Occup Rehabil. 2002 Dec;12(4):233-56
references.pmid: 12389476
references.citation: J Community Health. 2012 Aug;37(4):763-72
references.pmid: 22109386
references.citation: JAMA. 2009 Feb 18;301(7):753-62
references.pmid: 19224752
references.citation: J Cancer Surviv. 2013 Jun;7(2):237-46
references.pmid: 23443319