title: Employment implications of informal cancer caregiving.
abstract: Previous research describing how informal cancer caregiving impacts employment has been conducted in small samples or a single disease site. This paper provides population-based estimates of the effect of informal cancer caregiving on employment and characterizes employment changes made by caregivers.
  
  
  
  The samples included cancer survivors with a friend or family caregiver, participating in either the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Experiences with Cancer Survivorship Survey (ECSS) (n = 458) or the LIVESTRONG 2012 Survey for People Affected by Cancer (SPAC) (n = 4706). Descriptive statistics characterized the sample of survivors and their caregivers' employment changes. Multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of caregivers' extended employment changes, comprising time off and changes to hours, duties, or employment status.
  
  
  
  Among survivors with an informal caregiver, 25 % from the ECSS and 29 % from the SPAC reported that their caregivers made extended employment changes. Approximately 8 % of survivors had caregivers who took time off from work lasting ≥2 months. Caregivers who made extended employment changes were more likely to care for survivors: treated with chemotherapy or transplant; closer to diagnosis or end of treatment; who experienced functional limitations; and made work changes due to cancer themselves compared to caregivers who did not make extended employment changes.
  
  
  
  Many informal cancer caregivers make employment changes to provide care during survivors' treatment and recovery.
  
  
  
  This study describes cancer caregiving in a prevalent sample of cancer survivors, thereby reflecting the experiences of individuals with many different cancer types and places in the cancer treatment trajectory.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA. demoorjs@mail.nih.gov.|Healthcare Assessment Research Branch, Healthcare Delivery Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, 3E438, MSC 9764, Bethesda, MD, 20892-9764, USA. demoorjs@mail.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Janet S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: de Moor
authors.affiliation: Institute for Technology Assessment, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Emily C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Dowling
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Donatus U
authors.initials: DU
authors.lastname: Ekwueme
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Gery P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Guy
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Virgo
authors.affiliation: Surveillance and Health Services Research Program, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Xuesong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Erin E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Chunyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Litzelman
authors.affiliation: Information Management Services, Inc., Calverton, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: McNeel
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Benmei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: K Robin
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Yabroff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Caregivers; Cost-of-illness; Employment; Neoplasms; Quality of life