C10
Pilot intervention to facilitate the return to work process for cancer survivors
Elizabeth Grunfeld, Pauline Martin, Lorna Rixon, Alethea Cooper
King's College London, London, UK
Background
For working-aged cancer survivors the ability to return to paid work may have a substantial impact on quality of life.
Method
A consecutive sample of 40 cancer patients of working age and in employment prior to diagnosis, were recruited within six weeks of completing treatment. All participants participated in a return to work intervention comprising two face to face sessions with a trained researcher (one on illness representations and one on components of the theory of planned behaviour) and a series of self-completion workbooks (focussing on stress, disclosure, memory and concentration, fatigue and practical issues in the workplace). At the end of the second session participants agreed a return to work plan with the researcher. Participants completed a set of questionnaires (including measures of readiness to return to work (based on stages of change), mood, quality of life and illness representations) at baseline (pre-assessment), one month and three months post-intervention.
Results
Follow-up data collection will be completed in September 2008. Reported illness perceptions, readiness to return to work, quality of life, fatigue and mood will be examined pre and post-intervention. The role of each of these in predicting each of three outcomes measures (time to return to work, satisfaction with the return to work process and satisfaction with decision to return to work) will be examined.
Conclusion
The results will be discussed in relation to a full intervention trial and the implications of the findings on the return to work of cancer patients.
Acknowledgments
This study was funded through a project grant from Cancer Research UK (C8303/A6130).
