Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35972645›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2022

Work: saviour or struggle? A qualitative study examining employment and finances in colorectal cancer survivors living with advanced cancer.

Chloe Yi Shing Lim, Rebekah C Laidsaar-Powell, Jane M Young, Daniel Steffens, Bogda Koczwara, Yuehan Zhang, advanced-CRC survivorship authorship group, Phyllis Butow

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.9field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

15 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 19 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Chloe Yi Shing LimCentre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-Based Decision-Making (CeMPED), School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. chloe.lim@sydney.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2987-4444
Rebekah C Laidsaar-PowellCentre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-Based Decision-Making (CeMPED), School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3462-5645
Jane M YoungSydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3642-1240
Daniel SteffensSurgical Outcomes Research Centre (SOuRCe), Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9715-860X
Bogda KoczwaraDepartment of Medical Oncology, Flinders Medical Center, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1201-1642
Yuehan ZhangNational Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7483-5700
advanced-CRC survivorship authorship group
Phyllis ButowCentre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-Based Decision-Making (CeMPED), School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3562-6954
The University of Sydney · AUAustralian National University · AUFlinders Medical Centre · AUNational Breast Cancer Foundation · AU

Funding

Cancer Australia and Cancer Council NSW Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research SchemeNational Health and Medical Research Council APP1139539National Health and Medical Research Council Senior Principal Research FellowshipUniversity of Sydney Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeContinuing employment or returning to work (RTW) as a cancer survivor can be meaningful and financially necessary, yet challenging. However, there is a lack of qualitative research on RTW experiences and financial wellbeing of people with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC-A). This study aimed to fill this gap.

methodsAdults treated for CRC-A were recruited 0.5-2 years post-surgery (or post-diagnosis of CRC-A for palliative chemotherapy participants). Semi-structured telephone interviews, exploring RTW and finances, were subjected to framework analysis. Demographic, clinical, and quality of life data (FACT-C, Distress Thermometer, COST measure) were collected to characterise the sample and inform the framework analysis.

resultsAnalysis of 38 interviews revealed five overarching themes: work as a struggle, work as my identity, work as my saviour, work as a financial necessity, and employer and colleague response. Many survivors with CRC-A desired to, and had the capacity to, continue work or RTW, yet faced unique challenges from compounded stigma of both cancer and toileting issues. Inability to RTW negatively impacted financial and psychosocial wellbeing. Workplace support was an important facilitator of RTW.

conclusionFor survivors with CRC-A, continuing or RTW is fraught with challenges, including physical functioning challenges, financial anxiety, and unsupportive workplace environments. Survivors require psychosocial, financial, and employer support to manage these difficulties. This paper recommends a multiprong approach, including education programmes (facilitated through workers' union groups, human resource institutions, and/or large consumer CRC groups) and policies, to support workers and for employers to understand the unique challenges of employees with CRC-A.

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsColorectal NeoplasmsAdultEmploymentHumansQualitative ResearchQuality of LifeSurvivorsWorkplaceBowel cancerCancer survivorshipFinancial wellbeingQualitative interviewsReturn to work

Identifiers

PMID35972645
PMCPMC9378257
OpenAlexW4291914067

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.