title: A Guided Workbook Intervention (WorkPlan) to Support Work-Related Goals Among Cancer Survivors: Protocol of a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Returning to and staying at work following illness is associated with better physical and psychological functioning. Not working has been shown to be associated with reduced self-esteem, lowered self-efficacy, and decreased belief in one's ability to return to the workplace. Although there is a growing body of research looking at what predicts return to work following cancer treatment, there are fewer studies examining interventions targeting return to work.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The primary objective is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a theoretically led workbook intervention designed to support cancer patients in returning to work to inform a fully powered randomized controlled trial (RCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a multicenter feasibility RCT where the main analysis uses a qualitative approach. Sixty participants (aged 18-65 years) who have received a diagnosis of cancer and who intend to return to work will be randomized to either the WorkPlan intervention group or a usual care group (ratio 1:1). Participants in the intervention group will receive a guided workbook intervention (which contains activities aimed at eliciting thoughts and beliefs, identifying targets and actions, and concrete steps to achieve goals) and will receive telephone support over a 4-week period. The primary outcome measure is time taken to return to work (in days), and secondary outcome measures include mood, quality of life, illness perceptions, and job satisfaction. Data will be collected through postal questionnaires administered immediately postintervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. In addition, interviews will be undertaken immediately postintervention (to explore acceptability of the intervention and materials) and at 12-month follow-up (to explore perceptions of participation in the trial and experiences of returning to work).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Enrollment for the study will be completed in May 2016. Data analysis will commence in April 2017, and the first results are expected to be submitted for publication in late 2017.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Currently no standardized return-to-work intervention based on targeting cancer patient beliefs is in existence. If the intervention is shown to be feasible and acceptable, the results of this study will inform a future full RCT with the potential to provide a valuable and cost-efficient tool in supporting cancer survivors in the return-to-work process.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): ISRCTN56342476; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN56342476 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6gblhEPXd).
authors.affiliation: Coventry University, Centre for Technology Enabled Health Research, Coventry, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Pernille Luxhøj
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0858-2282
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3430-1816
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.forename: Steven S
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8829-0986
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sadhra
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7008-4770
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3862-9299
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zarkar
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9985-5548
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rolf
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3358-7517
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Grunfeld
keywords: RCT; cancer; intervention; oncology; protocol; return to work