A Pilot Study of Working Women and Breast Cancer

The purpose of this research is to better understand the relationship between employment and breast cancer. Research is being conducted to understand how workplace factors influence breast cancer patients' ability to adhere to recommended cancer treatment and effectively recover from cancer. Investigators hope to use the findings from the study to help working breast cancer survivors make informed decisions about treatment and employment in collaboration with their employers and healthcare providers.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Breast Cancer

Detailed Description

Patients enrolled will be interviewed three times over a six month period. They will be asked questions about their experiences in managing their cancer while taking care of their job responsibilities. Patients will be asked to complete a survey that asks questions about their breast cancer treatment, their job, and how they manage their responsibilities while undergoing cancer treatment.

The first initial meeting will be conducted at a time and location that is convenient for the patient. This meeting should last about an hour to an hour and a half.

Three and six months after the initial interview, study participants will be asked to complete a follow-up survey by either telephone or Internet/Web, depending on their preference. These telephone surveys will last between 15-30 minutes.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 22

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Kentucky
    • Lexington, Kentucky, United States, 40536
      • University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center
    • Lexington, Kentucky, United States, 40536
      • UK Center for Clinical and Translational Science

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Women diagnosed with a new, primary breast cancer within 3 months of enrollment and who were employed at the time of diagnosis.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women age 18-65
• Working at least 20 hours per week
• Currently patients of the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center
• Are able to read, write, and communicate in English
• Have reliable telephone or Internet/Web access in or outside the home

Exclusion Criteria:

• Self-employed
• Unemployed
• Cognitively impaired

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Working Poor Survivors; Low Wage workers
Non-Working Poor Survivors; Higher-Wage Salary Workers

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Guideline concordant breast cancer treatment as defined by National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology and oncologist assessments.	Differences in receipt of guideline-concordant breast cancer treatment between working poor and working non-poor survivors as explained by variations in occupation and work organization factors associated with each group of women. Guideline-concordant treatment will be informed by National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology and oncologist assessments.	6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Breast cancer treatment adherence, including completion of prescribed chemotherapy regimens, prescribed radiation treatment regimen, and/or surgical follow-up appointments.	Differences in breast cancer treatment adherence rates between working poor and non-poor survivors as explained by variations in occupation and work organization factors associated with each group of women.	6 months
Satisfaction with breast cancer treatment decision-making	Differences in satisfaction with breast cancer treatment decision-making between working poor and working non-poor survivors as explained by variations in occupation and work organization factors associated with each group of women.	6 months
Quality of life	Differences in quality of life measures between working poor and working non-poor survivors explained by variations in occupation and work organization factors associated with each group of women.	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Robin Vanderpool
• Collaborators: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Robin Vanderpool, DrPH, University Of Kentucky

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: November 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): April 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 26, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 1, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): August 2, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): May 27, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 26, 2015
• Last Verified: May 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Breast Cancer; Working Women
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Skin Diseases; Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB # 13-0560-P3H; K12DA035150 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)