“The Last Thing You Have to Worry about”: A Thematic Analysis of Employment Challenges Faced by Cancer Survivors

The evidence base for interventions that support the employment goals of cancer survivors is growing but inconclusive. As the first step in initiating a community-engaged program of research aimed at developing and testing interventions to support the employment goals of cancer survivors, 23 cancer survivors, 17 healthcare providers, and 5 employers participated in individual interviews to elicit perceptions regarding local challenges and resources related to work maintenance and optimization within the context of cancer treatment. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify cross-cutting experiences that were voiced by all three types of participants. Three themes were found in the data: (1) the onus for identifying and articulating work-related issues is upon the cancer survivor; (2) the main support offered to cancer survivors involved time away from work and flexibility with scheduling work and treatment activities; and (3) participants voiced a lack of information regarding one or more aspects related to supporting employment goals of cancer survivors. Supportive resources designed for cancer survivors, employers, and/or healthcare providers are needed to help cancer survivors optimize their employment situations.