title: Perceptions of Breast Cancer Survivors on the Supporting Practices of Their Supervisors in the Return-to-Work Process: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.
abstract: Purpose Supervisors are known to be key actors in ensuring the success of absent employees in their return-to-work process. However, to date, little is known about the perceptions of breast cancer survivors on the practices put in place by their supervisors to support them during this process. The objective of this study was to describe the perceptions of breast cancer survivors on the practices put in place by their supervisors to support them during their return-to-work process. Method A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with breast cancer survivors (n = 10) who had returned to work after treatment and were still at work more than 18 months later. Each interview was audio recorded and then transcribed verbatim for qualitative thematic content analysis using a semi-open codification framework. Results Participants identified three main practices put in place by their supervisors to support them and which they perceived as particularly helpful during the return-to-work process: (1) maintaining communication during their period of absence; (2) working with them to structure their return-to-work process before their actual return; and (3) allowing them flexibility in their schedule for a certain period, particularly at the beginning of the return-to-work process. Breast cancer survivors also identified an omission in the practice of employers: lack of follow-up over time. Conclusion Knowledge about the practices perceived as helpful by breast cancer survivors during their return-to-work process lays the groundwork for the eventual development of services to help breast cancer survivors in their return to work.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada. Maryse.Caron@USherbrooke.ca.
authors.forename: Maryse
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3246-956X
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.|School of Rehabilitation, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Marie-José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.|School of Nursing Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil, QC, Canada.|Research Center - Hôpital Charles-Le Moyne, Université de Sherbrooke, 150 Place Charles LeMoyne, Longueuil, QC, J4K 0A8, Canada.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tremblay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D000073116:Cancer Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D062707:Return to Work / Q000523:psychology*; D018582:Sick Leave; D012944:Social Support; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: Breast neoplasms; Return to work; Survivors; Workplace