2006 National Survey of Cancer Patients/Survivors and Caregivers

Overview of Key Findings

Three out of four (73%) cancer patients who were working while undergoing treatment say they had a caregiver. In most cases, these caregivers were family members.

• Our survey finds that patients are most likely to be cared for by a spouse (40%).
• This leaves single parents and individuals who are no longer married at a disadvantage, and these two groups are among the most likely to fight cancer without any sort of caregiver (41% and 37%, respectively).

This study finds that cancer patients and caregivers face nearly identical career challenges and make similar career sacrifices; however, it also reveals that today’s workplace treats caregivers much the same way it treats patients.

• More than 80% of both patients and caregivers indicate that they missed some work as result of fighting cancer, and both groups report working fewer hours per week on average (see Graph 1).
• Thirty-five percent (35%) of caregivers indicate they made a significant career sacrifice to be a caregiver.
• Caregivers are just as likely – and in some cases more likely – than patients to take certain actions, like take days off without pay or use vacation days as sick days (see Graph 2).
• However, more than 60% of patients and caregivers report being on the receiving end of positive gestures and goodwill from their co-workers, whether that be a random act of kindness or stepping in to help lighten the person’s workload.

Despite the fact that cancer often impacts the ability of both patients and caregivers to do their job as effectively as before, the survey shows that virtually all employers are supportive. For this reason, it’s not surprising that just over two-thirds of patients and caregivers feel their job helped them maintain emotional stability.

• Most patients and caregivers will admit that cancer does have some impact on their ability to do their job – roughly one-third of patients say there was no real impact (35%), while another third admitted to some impact (35%), and around one-fourth said the impact was major (27%). Less than one quarter of caregivers (22%) said that being a caregiver had no real impact on their ability to do their job, with nearly half (48%) admitting some impact and one-fourth (28%) saying their caregiver duties had a major impact on their ability to do their job.
• Despite the fact that people may be experiencing these difficulties, the majority say their employers were supportive during this time (75% among patients and 79% among caregivers). Only about one-in-ten from either group indicate that their employer was unsupportive.

The survey also shows that employers are very accommodating of the requests made by cancer patients and caregivers.

• In most cases, these requests are time related (e.g., time off for doctor appointments). The survey suggests that very few requests are denied, thus implying that cancer patients and caregivers simply need to ask for help.

Still, one in five cancer patients indicate they skipped or postponed a scheduled treatment because they felt this would conflict with a work obligation.

• Of this group that has missed or delayed treatment due to something at work, half (50%) say that this is something that happened three or more times.
• Whether or not a cancer patient has a self-described “stressful” job or a selfdescribed “physically demanding” job appears to have some correlation with missing a scheduled treatment due to a work obligation. Twenty-nine percent (29%) of patients with a “stressful” job say they missed a treatment due to a work obligation versus just 13% among those with “less stressful” jobs. This same pattern holds true based on the physical demands of one’s job. There are probably additional reasons and variables (e.g., cancer type, treatment type, etc.) beyond this to explain why some patients skipped or postponed a scheduled treatment due to a work obligation, but the survey results seem to suggest that these probably have more to do with the patient themselves than their employers. Cancer patients must make their treatments a priority.

About the Survey / Research Methodology

The Breakaway from Cancer survey investigated the effects of cancer on the careers and workplace environment for both cancer patients/survivors and caregivers throughout the United States. The study, conducted October 12-22, 2006, consisted of online surveys among:

• N=504 individuals who have received treatment for cancer within the past five years, and who were employed during at least part of their treatment period
• N=500 individuals who have served as a caregiver for someone who has received treatment for cancer within the past five years, and who were employed during at least part of their treatment period

The margin of error associated ongoing with each sample would be ±4.5% at the 95% confidence level assuming a pure probability sample (however, theoretical sampling error cannot be calculated because this online survey was not based on a pure probability sample). The margin of error for specific demographic subgroups would be higher and would vary based on the size of the sub-sample.

Each audience was asked a series of similar questions about the impact of cancer treatment on their lives, with specific emphasis on their careers and working environment. The results of the study help to illustrate the challenges and realities that cancer patients/survivors and their caregivers face in the workplace while fighting cancer and undergoing treatment.

Conducted by Fleishman-Hillard Research, with data collection managed by Greenfield Online, the study was funded by Amgen and developed in close collaboration with the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and The Wellness Community.