PTOTSLPQualitativeJournal of occupational rehabilitation2022

Adaptation of the Core Set for Vocational Rehabilitation for Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Consensus-Based Study.

Sara Paltrinieri, Stefania Costi, Martina Pellegrini and 8 others

PMID 35334038

WHAT IT FOUND

Cancer survivors prioritized mental functions, interpersonal relationships, and workplace support for return to work.

Stakeholders confirmed the adapted checklist covers these areas but recommended a single coordinator to manage the multi-disciplinary assessment.

Key findings

01The adapted checklist added 27 new ICF categories to the original vocational rehabilitation core set, primarily addressing body functions like sensation of nausea and genital/reproductive sensations.

02Survivors identified mental functions, exercise tolerance, and interpersonal relationships as the most critical domains for their return to work experience.

03Stakeholders judged the checklist complete but suggested it requires coordination by one professional to avoid overwhelming the multidisciplinary team.

STILL TO COME

How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs

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What it does not show

The sample was small (17 survivors) and limited to Italian speakers who had already successfully returned to work, so it may not reflect the experiences of those who did not return or those with different language/cultural backgrounds. Participants were mostly employed in private companies with permanent contracts, which may not generalize to self-employed individuals or those in precarious work situations. The checklist has not yet been validated in a larger sample; it is a proposed tool based on qualitative consensus rather than a psychometrically tested instrument.

Declared interests

Funded by the Italian Ministry of Health. No other conflicts of interest are explicitly declared in the text provided.

The easy way to misread this

Do not treat the CS-VR-Onco as a validated diagnostic tool or a prescriptive intervention. This is a qualitative adaptation of an assessment framework based on the opinions of a small group of survivors and professionals. Its utility lies in guiding comprehensive assessment, not in proving efficacy of specific treatments.

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