Employment Changes among Chinese Family Caregivers of Long-Term Cancer Survivors

Abstract

Background: Family caregivers (FCGs) play a key role in the plan of care provision for long-term cancer survivors, yet few studies have been conducted as for the corresponding influence on them. This study aimed to better understand the effect of such a role on the employment status of FCGs, and identify cancer-related characteristics that influence FCGs’ employment status in the post-treatment phase in China. Methods: We surveyed 1155 cancer survivors (>1 year since completing treatment) from the cross‐sectional study “China Survey of Experiences with Cancer”. Participants reported changes in employment status of their FCGs. Descriptive statistics characterized the sample of survivors and FCGs’ employment status. Separate multivariable logistic regression models were conducted to examine the association between participant cancer characteristics and changes in FCGs’ employment status.Results: In the primary treatment phase, 45.6% of all FCGs reduced their working hours and 17.4% stopped working altogether. In the post-treatment phase, 25.2% of FCGs reduced working hours and 6.6% stopped working. A higher probability of change in employment status among FCGs was associated with the following cancer-related characteristics: late-stage diagnosis, chemotherapy treatment, comorbidity, and limited ability to perform physical and mental tasks.Conclusions: Cancer treatment and post-treatment demands may have a great number of impacts on the employment and economic productivity of Chinese FCGs. Interventions to assist them in maintaining employment are warranted across the whole survivorship trajectory.