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Breast Cancer-Related Employment Disruption and Financial Hardship in the Sister Study
Clare Meernik1, Dale P Sandler2, Lucy A Peipins3
1Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
JNCI Cancer Spectrum
|June 9, 2021
Summary
Breast cancer survivors who stopped working or reduced hours faced nearly double the financial hardship. This highlights the need for employment support and financial aid for cancer patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Health Economics
- Survivorship Research
Background:
- Breast cancer frequently affects women under 62, potentially causing employment challenges.
- Early- and mid-career women diagnosed with breast cancer may face significant work disruptions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between cancer-related employment disruption and financial hardship.
- To quantify the risk of financial difficulties among breast cancer survivors experiencing work changes.
Main Methods:
- A national US study analyzed data from 1628 women in the Sister or Two Sister Studies.
- Employment disruption (stopping work or reducing hours) and financial hardship (difficulty paying for care, debt, bankruptcy) were assessed via survey.
- Multivariable Poisson regression estimated prevalence ratios and confidence intervals.
Main Results:
- Overall, 27.3% of women experienced employment disruption, and 21.0% reported financial hardship.
- Employment disruption was significantly associated with almost double the prevalence of financial hardship (PR=1.93).
- Specific hardships included difficulty paying for care (16.0%) and incurring debt (12.6%).
Conclusions:
- Breast cancer survivors experiencing employment disruptions are at higher risk of financial hardship.
- Interventions should address employment disruption risk factors and support return to work.
- Mitigating financial consequences is crucial for cancer survivorship.
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