Sungkeun Shim1,2, Danbee Kang2,3, Ka Ryeong Bae2,3, Woo Yong Lee4, Seok Jin Nam4, Tae Sung Sohn4, Byong Chang Jeong5, Dong Hyun Sinn6, Sun Seog Kweon7, Young Mog Shim8, Juhee Cho1,2,3. 1. Department of Digital Health, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, South Korea. 2. Cancer Education Center, Samsung Comprehensive Cancer Center, Seoul, South Korea. 3. Department of Clinical Research Design & Evaluation, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, South Korea. 4. Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. 5. Department of Urology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. 6. Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. 7. Department of Preventive Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea. 8. Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Previous qualitative studies found cancer stigma was associated with work discrimination and job loss among cancer patients. This study aims to quantify the association between cancer stigma and job loss among cancer survivors. METHODS: For this study, we used the data from a face-to-face cross sectional survey conducted at two cancer hospitals in Seoul and Hwasun in South Korea from October 2017 to March 2018. Cancer stigma was assessed using a validated questionnaire which consists of 12 items in three domains: (a) impossibility of recovery; (b) stereotypes; and (c) discrimination. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between cancer stigma and job loss adjusting age, sex, marital status, education, job type, residence area, cancer site, stage, comorbidity, time since diagnosis, and self-efficacy. RESULTS: Among 433 cancer survivors, 24.0% lost their jobs after cancer, and 20.7% experienced discrimination at work. Of total, 21.7% of the survivors agreed that it was difficult to treat cancer regardless of highly developed medical science. Survivors with stigma on impossibility of recovery and stereotypes were 3.10 (95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.76, 5.44]) and 2.10 (95% CI: [1.20, 3.67]) times more likely to lose a job than survivors without cancer stigma. Survivors with discrimination experience at work had 1.98 (95% CI: [1.05, 3.74]) times higher risk of losing a job than survivors without it. CONCLUSIONS: Survivors with cancer stigma were more likely to lose their jobs than survivors without cancer stigma. Considering its social and economic impact on job loss, comprehensive interventions for working cancer survivors as well as public campaigns against cancer stigma would be necessary.
OBJECTIVE: Previous qualitative studies found cancer stigma was associated with work discrimination and job loss among cancerpatients. This study aims to quantify the association between cancer stigma and job loss among cancer survivors. METHODS: For this study, we used the data from a face-to-face cross sectional survey conducted at two cancer hospitals in Seoul and Hwasun in South Korea from October 2017 to March 2018. Cancer stigma was assessed using a validated questionnaire which consists of 12 items in three domains: (a) impossibility of recovery; (b) stereotypes; and (c) discrimination. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between cancer stigma and job loss adjusting age, sex, marital status, education, job type, residence area, cancer site, stage, comorbidity, time since diagnosis, and self-efficacy. RESULTS: Among 433 cancer survivors, 24.0% lost their jobs after cancer, and 20.7% experienced discrimination at work. Of total, 21.7% of the survivors agreed that it was difficult to treat cancer regardless of highly developed medical science. Survivors with stigma on impossibility of recovery and stereotypes were 3.10 (95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.76, 5.44]) and 2.10 (95% CI: [1.20, 3.67]) times more likely to lose a job than survivors without cancer stigma. Survivors with discrimination experience at work had 1.98 (95% CI: [1.05, 3.74]) times higher risk of losing a job than survivors without it. CONCLUSIONS: Survivors with cancer stigma were more likely to lose their jobs than survivors without cancer stigma. Considering its social and economic impact on job loss, comprehensive interventions for working cancer survivors as well as public campaigns against cancer stigma would be necessary.
Authors: Marc A Emerson; Bryce B Reeve; Melissa B Gilkey; Shekinah N C Elmore; Sandi Hayes; Cathy J Bradley; Melissa A Troester Journal: J Cancer Surviv Date: 2022-09-14 Impact factor: 4.062