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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2023 Apr;55(2):419-428.
doi: 10.4143/crt.2022.939. Epub 2022 Nov 8.

Effectiveness of Self-Assessment, TAilored Information, and Lifestyle Management for Cancer Patients' Returning to Work (START): A Multi-center, Randomized Controlled Trial

Danbee Kang  1   2 , Ka Ryeong Bae  3 , Yeojin Ahn  4 , Nayeon Kim  1   5 , Seok Jin Nam  6 , Jeong Eon Lee  6 , Se Kyung Lee  6 , Young Mog Shim  7 , Dong Hyun Sinn  8 , Seung Yeop Oh  9 , Mison Chun  10 , Jaesung Heo  10 , Juhee Cho  1   2   5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effectiveness of Self-Assessment, TAilored Information, and Lifestyle Management for Cancer Patients' Returning to Work (START): A Multi-center, Randomized Controlled Trial

Danbee Kang et al. Cancer Res Treat. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: We developed a comprehensive return to work (RTW) intervention covering physical, psycho-social and practical issues for patients newly diagnosed and evaluated its efficacy in terms of RTW.

Materials and methods: A multi-center randomized controlled trial was done to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention conducted at two university-based cancer centers in Korea. The intervention program comprised educational material at diagnosis, a face-to-face educational session at completion of active treatment, and three individualized telephone counseling sessions. The control group received other education at enrollment.

Results: At 1-month post-intervention (T2), the intervention group was more likely to be working compared to the control group after controlling working status at diagnosis (65.4% vs. 55.9%, p=0.037). Among patients who did not work at baseline, the intervention group was 1.99-times more likely to be working at T2. The mean of knowledge score was higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (7.4 vs. 6.8, p=0.029). At the 1-year follow-up, the intervention group was 65% (95% confidence interval, 0.78 to 3.48) more likely to have higher odds for having work.

Conclusion: The intervention improved work-related knowledge and was effective in facilitating cancer patients' RTW.

Keywords: Cancer survivors; Education; Randomized controlled trials; Return to work; Stigma.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest

Conflict of interest relevant to this article was not reported.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CONSROT diagram. ICU, intensive care unit.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Proportion of return to work.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Subgroup analysis. CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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