Co-worker perceptions of return-to-work opportunities for Japanese cancer survivors

Effects of the Need for Support From the Workplace and Resilience on Psychological Distress in Japanese Employees: A 1-Year Prospective Study

PURPOSE

This study examines workplace support and resilience's influence on psychological distress in Japanese employees.

METHOD

A 1-year prospective online cohort study was conducted. Logistic regression analyzed prevalence odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for psychological distress. Participants were grouped based on their support and resilience levels.

RESULTS

Prevalence odds ratios for psychological distress followed this pattern for low and high resilience groups: "necessary but not received" (prevalence odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for low/high resilience: 9.71, 6.88-13.69 and 4.72, 2.97-7.52, respectively), "received" (6.65, 4.29-10.29 and 2.27, 1.21-4.25), and "not necessary" (4.43, 3.30-5.95 and reference). Workplace support had a stronger impact on psychological distress in low-resilience employees.

CONCLUSIONS

We provided evidence that the combination of the need for support from the workplace and resilience affects psychological distress in employees.

Understanding Cancer Survivors’ Needs and Experiences Returning to Work Post-Treatment: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study

Background: This study aimed to understand Canadian cancer survivors’ experiences during the return-to-work (RTW) process. Methods: A prospective qualitative longitudinal design was employed using the principles of phenomenological inquiry. Cancer survivors took part in three in-depth interviews: at the end of treatment, and 3 and 9 months after the first interview. Transcripts were analyzed using constant comparative analysis, guided by the Cancer and Work model. Results: A total of 38 in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 participants. The resultant themes were: (1) supports received or desired to enable RTW; (2) others’ limited understanding of the long-term impacts of a cancer diagnosis and its treatment; (3) worries and self-doubts about returning to work; and (4) changing perspectives on life and work after cancer. Conclusions: Cancer patients returning to work after treatment often experience challenges throughout the process, including varying levels of support from others and a range of ongoing effects and motivation to RTW. There is a clear gap in terms of the professional supports available to these individuals. Future research should focus on investigating how to improve both quality and accessibility of supports in a way that is personalized to the individual.

Psychosocial factors and colleagues' perceptions of return-to-work opportunities for workers with a psychiatric disorder: a Japanese population-based study

Background

This study examined associations between psychosocial factors and the perception that adequate employment opportunities might not be provided for people with limited work capacity due to psychiatric disorders.

Methods

We conducted an online, cross-sectional survey of 3,710 employed individuals aged 20 to 69 years in Japan. Our survey included the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire and investigated participants’ perception of opportunities in their workplace for individuals with a psychiatric disorder returning to work (colleagues’ negative perception) and psychosocial factors (job demand, job control, and workplace social support). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate potential associations between psychosocial factors and colleagues’ negative perception.

Results

Colleagues’ negative perception was associated with low workplace social support (middle tertile: Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.26, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.12–1.40; low tertile: OR 1.45, 95% CI: 1.32–1.58; p for trend <0.01); low levels of job control (middle tertile: OR 1.22, 95% CI: 1.06–1.38; low tertile: OR 1.64, 95% CI: 1.46–1.81; p for trend <0.01); and no previous experience working with a person with a psychiatric disorder (OR 1.74, 95% CI: 1.60–1.88).

Conclusions

Psychosocial factors may affect colleagues’ perceptions of individuals with a psychiatric disorder returning to work in Japan. Greater consideration of psychosocial factors in the workplace may be necessary to facilitate people with a psychiatric disorder successfully returning to work in Japan, as elsewhere.