Employment and sick leave in patients with prostate cancer before, during and after radiotherapy. (3rd May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sveistrup, Joen; Mortensen, Ole S.; Rosenschöld, Per M.; Engelholm, Svend A.; Petersen, Peter M.
• Is Part Of: Scandinavian journal of urology. Volume 50:Number 3(2016)
• Page Start: 164
• Page End: 169
• Publication Date: 2016-05-03
• Subjects: Prostate cancer -- quality of life -- radiotherapy -- return to work -- sick leave; Urology -- Periodicals; 616.6
• DOI: 10.3109/21681805.2015.1119190
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2168-1805

Abstract

Abstract: Objective . The aim of this study was to determine employment outcomes after radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer (PCa). Materials and methods . The Danish DREAM database contains information about social benefits paid to Danish citizens. Data are recorded prospectively every week. From the database, it is possible to assess whether a patient is working, on sick leave or retired at a certain time. Data on 417 Danish citizens treated with RT for PCa at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, between 1 January 2005 and 1 May 2010 were obtained from the database. The data were collected during a 2 year period from 1 year before RT to 1 year after RT. Results . Among patients of working age, 75% were still available for work 1 year after RT. The degree of sick leave increased almost continuously in the year before the start of RT and reached a maximum of 56% during RT. After RT it gradually declined. There was no significant difference between the number of patients on sick leave 1 year after RT compared to 1 year before RT ( p = 0.23). Patients spent a significantly higher number of weeks on sick leave in the year after the start of RT compared to the year before RT ( p = 0.001). Conclusion . Except for a transient increase in sick leave during treatment, RT did not seem to affect the working lives of patients with PCa significantly.