[Self-employed and small business owners diagnosed with cancer: effect on entrepreneurial survival]

When self-employed andsmall business owners are diagnosed with cancer what is the effect on their small-firm survival duration?

Data Sources: secondary data for 3,587 subjects, 18-65 years, working when diagnosed with cancer in 1995-2009 and a comparison group of 27,688 subjects matched for gender, age and occupation. Study design: a comprehensive population-based longitudinal study. A Cox model described time to failures of small businesses and terminations ofself-employment. Data Collection Methods: extraction from the statutory mandatory self-employed social security scheme database.

Findings were that age, cancer prognosis and very intense physical workload occupation were independent predictors of enterprise failure for cancer-exposed subjects. Compared with unexposed subjects, their global hazard ratio was 1.59 (95% CI = 1.50 - 1.70). However, the difference atfiveyears after cancer diagnosis became non-significant: hazard ratio 1.11 (95% CI = 0.95 - 1.30).

These findings demonstrate that beyond 5 years of maintenance of activity, the economic cost of cancer supported by very small businesses and self-employed is not important. However, support is required to pass through these first 5 years. The authors describe the various possible aids that could be implemented.