Establishing General Working Population Norms for the Cognitive Symptom Checklist-Work

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Occupational Health
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Cognitive symptoms, including memory and executive function deficits, are common in working adults with cancer.
• The Cognitive Symptom Checklist-Work (CSC-W) is a tool for assessing these symptoms.
• Normative data for the general working population are lacking, hindering interpretation of CSC-W scores in cancer patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish norm values for the CSC-W in the general working population.
• To assess the association between CSC-W scores and work-related and health-related factors.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 1,000 Dutch working adults.
• Data collected via an online respondent panel, stratified for sex and age, and weighted.
• Calculation of summary scores, Z-scores, and T-scores for CSC-W scales; analysis of variance applied.

Main Results:

• Cognitive symptom scores were stable across age groups, with younger adults (18-39) reporting lower memory and executive function.
• Memory function symptom scores were higher than executive function scores across all age groups and sexes.
• Higher symptom scores correlated with non-manual and manual work, long-term illness, depressive symptoms, and fatigue.

Conclusions:

• Established CSC-W norms enhance the interpretation of cognitive symptoms in working adults with cancer.
• Findings support healthcare professionals in identifying and developing personalized treatments for cancer patients experiencing cognitive symptoms.
• Normative data are crucial for accurate assessment and clinical decision-making in occupational oncology.