Abstract
Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the environment of care and support at the workplace and in the working life of cancer patients and survivors who have returned to work, and to clarify the forms of care and support needed in the workplace. Method: Subjects comprised cancer patients and survivors (N=827) younger than 60 years old who had returned to work within the previous 5 years. Subjects completed self-report questionnaires via the Internet. The questionnaires consisted primarily of subject matter about the subjects’ present situation after returning to work, as well as the psychological care and support that they felt they needed. Results: We found that 22.5% of the subjects received psychological care and support at work, 3.6% needed psychological care and support but did not receive it, and 66.6% did not need psychological care and support and did not receive it. Additionally, 62.3% of the subjects had recovered to a high level of work ability since returning to work, whereas 35.1% had not yet recovered. The forms of psychological care and support needed by subjects in the workplace included financial support, reduction of work hours and burden, and psychological care and support from professionals. Discussion: The present results suggest that psychological care and support in the workplace and medical institutions need to be considered for cancer patients and survivors who have returned to work.
