Dive Brief:

• 73% of cancer patients and survivors want to work, but 59% who worked through treatment felt they had no choice, according to new national survey results from Cancer and Careers, a U.S. organization dedicated solely to serving the growing population of people working during and after cancer treatment.
• According to those who are currently working and in treatment, some of the most common challenges include fatigue (42%), managing discomfort from physical post-treatment side effects (26%) and taking longer to complete work tasks (23%). 61% of survivors looking for a job said they fear disclosing their cancer diagnosis will negatively affect their chances of getting hired, an increase from 50% in 2014.
• The online survey, conducted among 913 cancer patients and survivors in the U.S. by Harris Poll, was designed to better understand the needs and attitudes of currently employed and unemployed U.S. cancer patients and survivors.  

Dive Insight:

"While work gives many cancer patients and survivors a sense of purpose and normalcy, without the proper resources, balancing it with a cancer diagnosis can often be overwhelming," said Rebecca Nellis, Chief Mission Officer, Cancer and Careers. "Survivors need to be prepared with the right knowledge and tools to help them navigate workplace challenges and get the support they need."

Clearly, these poll results demonstrate that employers and HR need to give workers fighting through cancer the right support and guideance, as well as work with family members. After all, 29% of those in treatment feel they haven't advanced as quickly and the same percentage say they stayed at their jobs longer than they wanted because of their diagnosis. In addition, 38% said cancer negatively impacted their long-term career goals.

Also, employers need to be aware of the fact that though less than 9% of cancer patients and survivors have been asked about their cancer diagnosis during an interview, 31% of those who have been on an interview since their original cancer diagnosis have been asked an inappropriate or illegal interview question regarding their health.