Health is a unity and harmony within the mind, body and spirit which is unique to each person, and is as defined by that person. The level of wellness or health is, in part, determined by the ability to deal with and defend against stress. Health is determined by physiological, psychological, socio-cultural, spiritual, and developmental stage variables.
Patients quitting jobs after treatment for head and neck cancer
Head and Neck Cancer :: Patients quitting jobs after treatment for head and neck cancer
After treatment, 38.1 percent of patients with head and neck cancer who were employed at the time of cancer diagnosis reported discontinuing work because of their cancer and treatment, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Otolaryngology?Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.Those with head and neck cancer have the third highest rate of discontinuing employment because of their illness when compared to patients with other types of cancer.
Andrea E. Buckwalter, B.S., of the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and colleagues analyzed 666 patients with head and neck cancer who were treated from 1998 to 2004. The patients provided information about their employment status at the time of diagnosis and then at three, six, nine and 12 months after. Those who discontinued employment also rated the importance of five factors (eating, speech, appearance, pain or discomfort and fatigue) in their decision to stop working. The factors were scored on a five-point scale with five being the most important and one being the least important.
Of the 666 patients, 440 were men and 431 were younger than 65 years. Before treatment, 239 (35.9 percent) were employed, 337 (50.6 percent) were not employed and 23 (3.5 percent) were never employed. Of those who were employed at the time of cancer diagnosis, 91 (38.1 percent) [68 men and 23 women] discontinued work because of their cancer and treatment and 37 (40.7 percent) of those who had left their jobs returned to work within the first year. A higher percentage of patients who discontinued employment had advanced-stage disease (78 percent) and were treated with multimodality therapy such as surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, (64 percent), compared with those who continued to work.
?Fatigue had the highest percentage (58.5 percent) of 4 or 5 ratings, followed by speech (51.2 percent), eating (45.1 percent), pain or discomfort (37.8 percent) and appearance (17.1 percent),? the authors write. Among those who returned to work, there were no significant differences in the ranking of factors, but there was a significantly higher number of patients who did not return to work who reported speech and eating as important factors in their decision to discontinue work. Women rated speech, appearance and pain as more important factors in quitting their jobs than men. Appearance was of relatively little importance for both men and women.
?This study demonstrates that fatigue is a parameter that will likely assume a greater importance in head and neck cancer outcome evaluation,? the authors conclude. ?Identification of the patient-reported factors associated with the decision to discontinue employment is a first step in providing more useful information about employment to patients and identifying interventions to minimize the disability following treatment for head and neck cancer.?
(Head and Neck Cancer :: Patients quitting jobs after treatment for head and neck cancer published at SpiritIndia on Tuesday, May 29, 2007)
Head and Neck Cancer
Search more information on Head and Neck Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer booksRecently posted related articles on Head and Neck Cancer :
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Taxotere granted FDA approval to treat Head and Neck Cancer
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Patients with head and neck cancer may have impairment of some driving skills
- Head and Neck Cancer :: A new radiation therapy treatment developed for head and neck cancer patients
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Patients quitting jobs after treatment for head and neck cancer
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Tobacco and alcohol use independently increase risk of head and neck cancer
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Vaccination for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Head and neck cancer vaccine targets proteins to create immune response
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Oral rinse may detect head and neck cancer
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Fruit, vegetables may lower risk of head and neck cancer
- Head and Neck Cancer :: UPMC to Offer Free Head and Neck Cancer Screenings
Most related articles:
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Patients quitting jobs after treatment for head and neck cancer- Head and Neck Cancer :: UPMC to Offer Free Head and Neck Cancer Screenings - 23.6
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Tobacco and alcohol use independently increase risk of head and neck cancer - 21.8
- Smoking :: Smoking increases risks for head and neck cancers for men and women - 21.7
- Cancer :: Combination therapy spares some head and neck cancer patients from surgery - 21.5
- Laryngeal Cancer :: Stirling nurse researcher examines the needs of laryngeal cancer patients - 20
- Carcinoma :: GSK initiates Phase III study of Tykerb in head and neck cancer - 17.3
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Study of Erbitux for Advanced Head and Neck Cancer - 17.2
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Fruit, vegetables may lower risk of head and neck cancer - 16.8
- Head and Neck Cancer :: Oral rinse may detect head and neck cancer - 16.1
»» Bird Flu :: Bird flu precautionary action at Ysgol Henllan, Denbighshire
«« Bird Flu :: Avian Flu cases in North Wales, UK
The information provided on SpiritIndia.com is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her physician. Spirit India comply with the HONcode principles for trustworthy health information.
Health, Business, Science, Sports, Entertainment, Technology
©2002-2009 SpiritIndia.com
Health, Business, Science, Sports, Entertainment, Technology
©2002-2009 SpiritIndia.com