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Patient-Provider Communication: Experiences of Low-Wage-Earning Breast Cancer Survivors in Managing Cancer and Work

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Abstract

In 2017, there will be more than 250,000 new diagnoses of invasive breast cancer; most cases will occur in working-age women. The goal of this qualitative study was to explore low-wage-earning breast cancer survivors’ experiences communicating with their oncology team about cancer and employment issues. Twenty-four low-wage-earning breast cancer survivors in the USA were interviewed in 2012 using a structured interview protocol. Sociodemographic data, cancer history, and patient-provider communication experiences regarding the management of cancer and work were collected. Interviews were analyzed using grounded theory strategy of constant comparative analysis. Low-wage-earning breast cancer survivors’ experiences communicating with their oncology team about employment and cancer focused on three dimensions of patient-provider communication: extent, quality, and content. Over 70% of respondents reported no communication or only routine communication with their providers regarding work; three quarters of women reported poor or standard communication quality, and content of work-related communication covered scheduling issues, work absences, continuing to work during treatment, and financial concerns. Communication between oncology care teams and low-wage-earning cancer patients is critical to the successful management of treatment and work responsibilities given the vulnerable employment situation of these women. There is a need for education of oncology team members about how cancer and its treatment can impact employment for all workers, but especially for low-wage workers, thereby allowing the care team to address these issues proactively and help patients successfully manage both cancer treatment and work responsibilities.

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Notes

  1. According to the social-inclusion definition of low-wage [6], low-wage jobs are those that pay less than two thirds of the median wage for men. The median wage for men in KY was approximately $14.50 per hour in 2012 [19]. We rounded this number up to $15.00 per hour for the ease of recruitment and our definition of low-wage is also comparable to 135% of the US poverty line for a family of four in 2012, when this study was conducted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Helen M. Nichols

  2. School of Social Work and Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Jennifer E. Swanberg

  3. Department of Health, Behavior & Society, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, 2365 Harrodsburg Road, Suite A230, Lexington, KY, 40504, USA

    Robin C. Vanderpool

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  1. Helen M. Nichols
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  2. Jennifer E. Swanberg
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  3. Robin C. Vanderpool
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Correspondence to Robin C. Vanderpool.

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Nichols, H.M., Swanberg, J.E. & Vanderpool, R.C. Patient-Provider Communication: Experiences of Low-Wage-Earning Breast Cancer Survivors in Managing Cancer and Work. J Canc Educ 34, 542–549 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-018-1338-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-018-1338-4

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