In 2023, Cancer and Careers commissioned a survey fielded by Harris Poll to better understand the experiences of people working or looking for work after a cancer diagnosis in the U.S. Below are select findings that address key areas of interest: motivation to work, disclosure at work and need for support. Please scroll to the end of the article for details on the methodology of the research or to request the full data report which covers additional topic areas.

MOTIVATION TO WORK*

Most respondents (66%) believe that those diagnosed with cancer want to work. When asked about motivations around working after a diagnosis...

• 73% say work provides people who have been diagnosed with cancer with a source of personal pride and accomplishment that is critical for recovery.
• 63% say that work gives a sense of purpose and is tied to their identity.
• 45% had to continue working to maintain their healthcare insurance.41% felt they had no choice but to work during treatment.

DISCLOSURE AT WORK*

The decision to disclose one’s diagnosis is a complex and personal one with more than 1 in 10 respondents (12%) choosing not to disclose to anyone at work. Of those respondents who did disclose at work….

• 71% told a supervisor/manager.
• 57% told a co-worker/colleague.
• 44% told their human resources department/representative.

Of those who disclosed their diagnosis at work to someone:

• 68% say that support from employers and co-workers/colleagues makes the transition back to work easier.

After disclosing to their supervisor/manager…

• 47% said support from them improved, in relation to changes to their work life.
• 55% said they did so because they wanted their workplace to understand what was happening to them.

After disclosing to their co-workers/colleagues…

• 50% did so because they wanted to feel supported.
• 50% felt that support from them improved.
• 34% felt their relationship with them improved.

After disclosing to their human resources department/representative…

• 35% felt that support from them improved.
• 24% felt their relationship with them improved.
• 57% found them to be very helpful in addressing their concerns about work and cancer.

Positive Impact of Disclosure*

After disclosing their diagnosis at work…

• 74% felt confident about their job security.
• 73% felt that their employer had their best interest in mind.

And found improvements in…

• Support from supervisors/managers (47%).
• Flexibility of hours worked (48%).
• Their relationship with supervisors/managers (33%).
• Loyalty to the workplace (29%).
• Levels of stress (26%).
• Happiness at work (23%).

Barriers to Disclosure*

Of those that did not disclose their diagnosis at work…

• 53% did not think it was any of their business.
• 33% did not think treatment would interfere with their ability to do their job.
• 18% did not want to be treated differently.

When thinking about the potential negative impacts of disclosing their diagnosis at work…

• 35% say that, in general, those with cancer face stigma in the workplace.

DESIRE FOR SUPPORT SERVICES AND RESOURCES**

The majority of respondents (70%) agree that addressing the more practical issues of balancing cancer and work is an essential part of cancer care.

In terms of what an employer can do, of those working or looking for work after a diagnosis…

• 78% say that people who have been diagnosed with cancer and receive support from their employer are more likely to thrive in the workplace.
• 41% said they would feel more certain of their employer or a prospective employer’s support if they knew that supervisors/managers were being given formal training on supporting someone with cancer or another serious illness.
• 15% say they are NOT confident that the managers/supervisors at their company have been properly trained on how to support them as an employee with cancer.

In terms of what healthcare providers can do, of those working or looking for work after a diagnosis…

• 59% say that their oncology or healthcare team provided them with resources or tools, such as support groups or literature aimed to help advise them on how to navigate work challenges and/or concerns after being diagnosed.
• 59% said they could do a better job at advising those who have been diagnosed with cancer on how to balance the demands of living with cancer and needing to find or maintain a work life.

* Results from respondents who are or were employed full/part-time after being diagnosed with cancer.
** Results from respondents who are either employed full/part-time or looking for full/part-time work after being diagnosed with cancer.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY:

The research was conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Cancer and Careers among 908 US adults age 18+ who have been diagnosed with cancer and are either employed full time, part time, or unemployed but looking for work. The survey was conducted between August 21st through September 20th, 2023.

Data are weighted where necessary by age by sex, education, race/ethnicity, region, household income, employment status, and propensity to be online to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 3.9 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to other multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including, but not limited to coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments.

SOURCE:

Cancer and Careers/The Harris Poll

If you would like access to the full results from the 2023 Cancer and Careers/The Harris Poll research,
please reach out to Leticia Bennett-White at lbennett@cew.org.