Therapeutic Work as a Facilitator for Return to Paid Work in Cancer Survivors.
M P van Egmond, S F A Duijts, P van Muijen and 2 others
PMID 27118124WHAT IT FOUND
Cancer survivors in therapeutic work were much more likely to return to paid work after one year than those not in such work.
However, this association was strongest in survivors who still held an employment contract, suggesting access to support, not just the work itself, drives the outcome.
Key findings
01Participation in therapeutic work at baseline was associated with a significantly higher chance of return to paid work after one year.
02Survivors without an employment contract participated in therapeutic work less often and were less likely to return to paid work than those with a contract.
03The association between therapeutic work and return to work remained significant after adjusting for age, gender, work disability level, and employment contract status.
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 size was relatively small (192 participants). The study was observational, so it cannot prove that therapeutic work caused the return to work; motivation or better health may have led both to therapeutic work and to employment. Results may not generalize to cancer survivors who returned to work earlier than two years, as this cohort consisted of those with more prolonged work difficulties. The findings are specific to the Dutch social security system and may not apply in other countries.
Declared interests
None reported in the text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume therapeutic work itself caused the return to paid work. The study is observational, and survivors who entered therapeutic work may have been healthier or more motivated than those who did not. Additionally, survivors without an employment contract had much lower access to therapeutic work, so the results may reflect differences in job security rather than the efficacy of the work program.