Adult Survivors Of Childhood Cancers Have High Risk Of Unemployment
Adults who survived childhood bone or blood cancers seem to have more or less the same risks of unemployment as adults who did not have to overcome serious diseases during their childhood.
Unemployment risk for childhood cancer survivors is highest in the USA and lowest in Europe. In fact, a European adult who survived a childhood cancer manages to find employment nearly as successfully as someone who had a healthy childhood.
The report will be published in the journal Cancer, 1st July issue. 40 studies were examined, of which 24 were controlled studies of cancer survivors and healthy controls.
Engela de Boer, Occupational Health of the Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, Holland, author of the report, said it is still not clear why there is such a difference between Europe and USA. She suggested that perhaps Americans take a different view of long-term survivors of cancer than the Europeans. Also, as Europe's health system consists mainly of universal cover, health insurance is not linked to employment in the way it is in the USA.
In the USA and UK, the five-year survival rate for childhood cancers stands at over 70%. With more and more children surviving cancer, this subject - job prospects - is becoming more important.
Survivors of childhood cancers can experience several health problems for many years, sometimes for the rest of their lives. Depression is not uncommon, as is anxiety and post-traumatic stress. Many survivors of childhood cancers have learning difficulties. Others may experience heart problems, lung damage, extreme tiredness and even some physical handicaps.
de Boer said there is not much parents can do to limit the effect of a childhood cancer on that person's future job prospects. The study found the following were predictors of unemployment later on in life:
-- younger age at diagnosis
-- lower education
-- lower IQ
-- female gender
-- motor impairment
-- epilepsy
-- receiving radiotherapy
de Boer said most of the above-mentioned factors cannot be influenced by a parent. The one important factor could be education. The other is having an active attitude. De Boer added that those who do find employment should communicate their situation with their employer.
Despite the fact that the USA has legislation forbidding job discrimination towards those with previous cancers - the Americans with Disabilities Act - American adult childhood cancer survivors do find it much harder than their European counterparts to find a job. If it is not due to discrimination, then what is it due to?
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Start Sanatate
Copyright: Start Sanatate
Not to be reproduced without permission of Start Sanatate
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