Abstract
BACKGROUND: Increasingly, people diagnosed with cancer are surviving and continuing to participate in the work force. This trend brings with it new issues regarding survivors' employment-related needs.
OBJECTIVE: The research team's objective is to explore cancer survivors' employment-related needs and supports with the ultimate goal of developing a training intervention for them.
METHODS: Data were collected via an online survey. This article reports on the findings from the pilot stage of the study, which included 32 respondents.
RESULTS: Many cancer survivors experience cancer symptoms at work, but do not tend to seek reasonable accommodations. Levels of awareness of possible programmatic and legal supports are low. Respondents reported that neither employers nor medical practitioners are primary sources of information regarding their individual employment-related concerns. Instead, they relied on general information from cancer advocacy organizations.
CONCLUSIONS: Survivors, employers, and practitioners who treat cancer patients could benefit from training resources about how survivors might address their employment-related needs.