Behavioral, psychological, educational, and vocational interventions to facilitate employment outcomes for cancer survivors: A systematic review

Model System:

Reference Type:

Accession No.:

Journal:

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

Publication Website:

Abstract:

This literature review focused on identifying interventions with behavioral, psychological, educational, or vocational content that aim to facilitate cancer survivors’ employment outcomes. Studies with a research design of randomized controlled trial (RCT) or quasi-experimental study (QED) were included. A combination of electronic search techniques, hand searches, and examination of the grey literature produced a total of 20,249 citations. Twelve studies (8 RCTs and 4 QEDs) evaluating the effects of psychosocially-related interventions on the employment of 2,151 cancer survivors met the inclusion criteria. The results of the studies were synthesized in a random-effects meta-analysis using odds ratio (OR) effect sizes. For RCTs, the weighted mean effect size for employment status was OR = 1.44, favoring the intervention groups. The mean OR of 1.44 translates to an employment rate of about 68 percent for intervention participants compared to a baseline 60 percent for comparison-group participants. For QEDs, the weighted mean effect size for employment status was OR = 2.18, also favoring the intervention groups. The mean OR of 2.18 translates to an employment rate of about 77 percent for intervention participants, compared to the baseline rate of 60 percent for the comparison-group participants. There was no evidence of an effect on the number of hours worked or number of sick leave days. The assessment of the risk of bias was high, and conclusions about the effectiveness of the included interventions should be interpreted with caution. Overall, the results provide promising evidence that the included interventions may improve employment status for cancer survivors.

Author(s):

Participating Centers: