Evaluation of job stress and quality of life in individuals returning to work after cancer treatment

Increased opportunities for early diagnosis have improved cancer survival rates. As a result, in the coming years there will be a growing number of people who return to the workforce after undergoing cancer treatment. A cross-sectional, relational, descriptive study was conducted to examine the factors affecting work life and determine the effects of job-related parameters and stress on quality of life among individuals returning to work after cancer treatment. The study population consisted of individuals who presented to the oncology outpatient clinic of a university hospital, and the sample included 302 patients who started and continued working after receiving cancer treatment. Data were collected using a personal information form, the EORTC QLQ-C30 quality of life questionnaire, and Perceived Job Stress Scale. Data were evaluated using descriptive statistical analyses, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Spearman correlation analysis. Statistical significance was accepted at p<0.05. The patients' mean age was 44.97±10.08 years, 53% were women, 33.5% had a bachelor's degree, 66.9% were married, and 69.5% had children. In terms of clinical characteristics, 83.1% of the patients were diagnosed with solid tumors, 32.8% had breast cancer, and 94.4% were treated with chemotherapy. The patients' mean Perceived Job Stress score was 2.10±0.68 and their mean EORTC QLQ-C30 score was 65.95±20.11. Mean perceived job stress scores differed significantly according to the patients' business sector, monthly income, job anxiety, years in the workforce, intent to quit, and change of profession (p<0.05). Mean quality of life scores differed significantly according to gender, age, education level, presence of children, cancer type, presence of chronic comorbidity, monthly income, job anxiety, change of employer, change of position, intent to quit, and presence of coworker support (p<0.05). Perceived Job Stress Scale scores were negatively correlated with EORTC QLQ-C30 general health and physical status subscale scores and positively correlated with symptom subscale scores (p<0.05). The results of this study show that perceived job stress negatively impacts quality of life in individuals returning to work after cancer treatment.