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. 2020 Jul;29(4):e13228.
doi: 10.1111/ecc.13228. Epub 2020 Jan 30.

Educational attainment and work disability in cancer survivors: Do diagnosis and comorbidity affect this association?

Christina M Stapelfeldt  1   2 , Saskia F A Duijts  3   4 , Trine A Horsboel  5 , Anne-Mette H Momsen  2 , Niels T Andersen  6 , Finn B Larsen  7 , Karina Friis  7 , Claus V Nielsen  1   2   8
Affiliations

Educational attainment and work disability in cancer survivors: Do diagnosis and comorbidity affect this association?

Christina M Stapelfeldt et al. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Objectives: To study whether educational attainment had less impact on work disability in cancer survivors than in individuals without cancer. To study whether comorbidity had a higher impact on work disability in low-educated cancer survivors than in high-educated and whether this impact differed when compared with individuals without cancer.

Methods: Linkage of population-based public health survey data and the Danish Cancer Registry formed two groups: cancer survivors (n = 3,514) and cancer-free individuals (n = 171,262). In logistic regression models, the risk of experiencing an 8-week sick leave spell and the granting of disability pension within a 3-year follow-up period was studied in three educational levels and whether these associations were modified by history of cancer and comorbidity. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported.

Results: Non-stratified adjusted risk of experiencing an 8-week sick leave spell (OR: 1.41, 95% CI (1.33-1.49)) or being granted a disability pension (OR: 1.61, 95% CI (1.31-1.97)) was significantly higher in low-educated than in high-educated respondents. Cancer or comorbidity did not significantly interact with education on the risk of work disability.

Conclusions: A moderate impact of low education on future work disability was found for all respondents, neither history of cancer nor comorbidity modified this association.

Keywords: cancer survivors; disability evaluation; educational status; population health; registries; sick leave.

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References

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