Differences in ill health and functional status between various groups of non-employed cancer survivors need to be considered when planning policy measures for improving the labour market participation of this population and preventing their early withdrawal from working life.

More attention should be paid to assisting cancer survivors in work life, particularly those who have chronic diseases or have undergone chemotherapy. Although most factors affecting the work ability of the survivors and reference subjects were the same, survivors' work ability seemed to be particularly sensitive to avoidance behavior. The results suggest that there is a need to improve communication at the workplace and develop supportive leadership practices in order to avoid isolating behavior towards cancer survivors.

A minority of cancer survivors changed employers, occupations, or work tasks because of cancer. Supervisors' support in the form of lightening physically demanding jobs and taking illness into consideration when planning work tasks, and health-care workers' advice on coping at work may help survivors to maintain their jobs.

A diet based on the current dietary guidelines seems to cancel out the adverse effects of occupational psychosocial factors on waist circumference among young men. Longitudinal studies are needed to assess the risks for obesity-related diseases arising from psychosocial work environments and dietary habits.

No abstract