Sex Differences in the Return-to-Work Process of Cancer Survivors 2 Years After Diagnosis: Results From a Large French Population-Based Sample
Menée en France auprès de 4 270 survivants de cancer, cette étude transversale analyse les conditions de reprise du travail pour les survivants d'un cancer, deux ans après le diagostic, en comparant les situations pour les hommes et pour les femmes
Résumé en anglais
Purpose : To investigate the effects of clinical, sociodemographic, and occupational factors on time to return to work (RTW) during the 2 years after cancer diagnosis and to analyze whether sex differences exist.
Patients and Methods : This study was based on a French national cross-sectional survey involving 4,270 cancer survivors. Time to RTW was estimated through the duration of sick leave of 801 cancer survivors younger than 58 years who were employed during the 2-year survey. Multivariate analysis of the RTW after sick leave was performed using a Weibull accelerated failure time model.
Results : We found some sex differences in the RTW process. Older men returned to work more slowly than older women (P = .013), whereas married men returned to work much faster than married women (P = .019). Duration dependence was also sex-specific. In men, the time spent on sick leave was independent of the probability of returning to work, whereas in women, this duration dependence was positive (P < .001). For both men and women, clinical factors including chemotherapy, adverse effects, and cancer severity were found to delay RTW (P = .035, P = .001, and P < .001, respectively). Survivors investing most strongly in their personal lives also delayed their RTW (P = .006), as did those with a permanent work contract (P = .042). The factor found to accelerate RTW was a higher educational level (P = .014).
Conclusion : The RTW process 2 years after cancer diagnosis differed between men and women. A better knowledge of this process should help the national implementation of more cost-effective strategies for managing the RTW of cancer survivors.
