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. 2024 Aug 13;21(8):1057.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph21081057.

Returning to Work after Breast Cancer: A One-Year Mixed-Methods Study

Nicola Magnavita  1 , Igor Meraglia  1 , Daniela Andreina Terribile  2
Affiliations

Returning to Work after Breast Cancer: A One-Year Mixed-Methods Study

Nicola Magnavita et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common invasive neoplasm and affects many women of working age. The return to work (RTW) of female survivors (BCSs) is associated with a better quality of life and longer survival. A tailored intervention to promote RTW was launched in 2022. A year later, the women were contacted to find out if RTW had occurred regularly and what their health conditions were compared to the baseline. BCSs reported excessive fatigue, poor sleep quality, anxiety, depression and reduced work ability; these parameters had not improved significantly compared to the baseline. Thematic analysis of the interviews confirmed the presence of personal, company, and societal factors that could hinder or favor RTW. The interviews demonstrated that, even in an economically developed country that has provided numerous benefits for BCSs, protection is not always effective. Personalized intervention seems necessary to complete the process of reintegrating BCSs into their future working careers.

Keywords: anxiety; barriers; depression; disability management; facilitators; fatigue; longitudinal study; sleep; welfare; work organization; workplace.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A complete and satisfactory return to work (RTW) requires the complementary efficiency of personal, company, and societal factors.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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