The mental health of workers with cancer
The onset of cancer has several significant repercussions on people's lives. Diagnosis and treatment are events that often profoundly affect mental health and quality of life.
Alongside personal life, the onset of cancer has significant effects on the professional life of working people: they often experience profound psychological distress and mental health problems due to the disease itself, its psychological and physical consequences, and the barriers in the work environment that can cause difficulties.
In the workplace , regardless of the employment sector, several negative factors can be present. In most cases, people indicate that the barriers are related to an inadequate interaction between the type of work, the organizational and managerial environment, the skills and competencies of colleagues and other staff, and the facilities provided for performing the work. Stigma and discrimination in the workplace are also frequent problems that can have considerable negative effects on mental health.
The most relevant is facing difficulties when rejoining the labor market .
People with cancer often have to stop working altogether, change jobs, or reduce their hours or responsibilities, and they typically lack support from their workplace. Vocational rehabilitation programs have proven effective, but their implementation worldwide remains limited.
In addition to these work-related problems, many research studies highlight the difficulties these individuals experience due to their symptoms and treatment. They sometimes continue to work, but report limitations at work due to their symptoms, which make it difficult for them to manage job demands. This leads to a decline in their "work capacity" —that is, their ability to work—and in the ability of their environment to adapt to their current functioning.
Symptoms that significantly impact work activities, which can be especially demanding mentally or physically, include fatigue, cognitive and sleep disturbances, pain, and psychological distress. Because of the impact of these symptoms on their ability to work, people with cancer are more likely to leave their jobs if the workplace is unable to make reasonable adjustments to their changing needs.
The difficulties of the caregiver
Cancer profoundly affects individuals and their families and friends, especially those who take on the role of caregivers, who often experience deep psychological distress.
Various research studies describing the burden borne by caregivers reveal that they often experience a steady decline in their quality of life and mental health, with anxiety and depressive symptoms. The burden on caregivers also manifests in their ability to provide care and in the financial strain they face.
In addition, caregivers often have difficulty managing their daily lives and, if they work, they may find it difficult to balance caregiving activities and work demands.
Guidelines for self-care for the caregiver
However, work plays a central role in people's lives. Working contributes to autonomy, independence, self-esteem, self-realization, quality of life, and life satisfaction. In fact, employment, job satisfaction, and a good work-life balance benefit mental health and quality of life. Conversely, unemployment and a negative work environment are risk factors for physical and mental health problems.
For people with cancer, returning to work or maintaining it as much as possible means preserving income, identity, social relationships, and improving quality of life.
Given these premises and the importance of work for people's lives, maintaining employment and enabling people with cancer to return to work should be a primary objective for society.
How to support those affected and their caregivers
It is necessary to support workers who have cancer and those who care for a family member with the disease. Various actions can be taken to achieve this goal.
- Firstly, it is crucial to raise awareness and educate management teams and employees on this issue to promote a safe, stigma-free, and inclusive work environment.
- Secondly, it is equally important to develop and implement reasonable accommodations and specific programs that allow people with cancer and their caregivers to maintain their jobs. Flexible working conditions can enable these individuals and their working caregivers to balance work demands with caregiving needs.
- Finally, caring for the mental health of people with cancer and their working caregivers is a priority. It is essential to offer care and support to patients and caregivers, helping them cope with the psychological distress they experience in their personal and professional lives.
Article provided by Empower . Authors: Claudia Toppo, Alberto Raggi, Martina Cacciatore, Matilde Leonardi.
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