早期乳腺癌患者对其伴侣经济状况和就业的长期影响
误工是癌症患者及其家属诸多的个人成本之一，许多乳腺癌女性确诊后面临长期失业。然而，尚不明确乳腺癌患者对其伴侣的经济状况和就业影响如何。
2017年9月7日，美国临床肿瘤学会《肿瘤学实践杂志》在线发表密歇根大学、安娜堡退伍军人医院、科罗拉多大学癌症中心的研究报告，调查了早期乳腺癌患者对其伴侣经济状况和就业的长期影响。
该研究对2005年6月～2007年2月监测、流行病学和最终结果（SEER）登记数据库的底特律和洛杉矶非转移性乳腺癌女性诊断9个月和4年后进行问卷调查，患者诊断4年后对其伴侣进行问卷调查，询问乳腺癌诊治对未退休伴侣的就业和经济状况影响如何。
结果，共有774位伴侣符合条件，517位（67%）完成调查问卷，其中：
32%表示由于患者的乳腺癌引起经济状况恶化
患者确诊1年后有240位未退休伴侣，诊断4年后其中90%仍在工作
由于患者的乳腺癌诊治，共有32%的伴侣减少了工作时间
64%的伴侣表示，由于患者的乳腺癌诊治，维持工作对于维持医疗保险非常重要
总体而言，51%的伴侣表示，避免更换工作非常重要，因为其担心失去医疗保险
因此，将近三分之一的伴侣表示，由于患者的乳腺癌，其经济状况恶化，虽然大多数人在诊断4年后仍在工作。患者的伴侣们可能继续工作超过预期，以补偿家庭经济来源的损失。
J Oncol Pract. 2017 Sep 7. [Epub ahead of print]
Long-Term Economic and Employment Outcomes Among Partners of Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer.
Veenstra CM, Wallner LP, Jagsi R, Abrahamse P, Griggs JJ, Bradley CJ, Hawley ST.
University of Michigan; Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI; University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver, CO.
PURPOSE: Work loss is one of many personal costs for patients with cancer and their families. Many women with breast cancer face long-term job loss that stems from their diagnoses. However, little is known about the economic and employment outcomes of partners of women with breast cancer.
METHODS: Women with nonmetastatic breast cancer identified by the Detroit and Los Angeles SEER registries between June 2005 and February 2007 were surveyed at both 9 months and 4 years after diagnosis. Partners were surveyed 4 years after patients' diagnoses. Nonretired partners were asked about employment and financial consequences that stemmed from the patients' breast cancer diagnoses and treatments.
RESULTS: A total of 517 (67%) of 774 eligible partners completed the survey; 32% reported worsened financial status attributed to patients' breast cancers. Two hundred forty nonretired partners worked during the year after the patients' diagnoses; 90% were still working 4 years postdiagnosis. A total of 32% of partners decreased their work hours as a result of patients' breast cancer diagnoses and treatments; 64% of partners reported that, as a result of patients' breast cancer diagnoses and treatments, it was very/extremely important to keep working to keep health insurance. Overall, 51% of partners reported that it was very/extremely important to avoid changing jobs, because they were worried about loss of health insurance.
CONCLUSION: Nearly one third of partners reported that their financial status was worse because of the patient's breast cancer, although most remained working 4 years after a diagnosis. Partners may continue to work longer than desired to compensate for a loss of financial resources in the family.
PMID: 28880714
DOI: 10.1200/JOP.2017.023606