We propose a longitudinal study of cancer patients' and their spouses' abilities to remain in the work force after a cancer diagnosis. Very little is known about the abilities of these individuals to restore their lives after they mounted an initial effort to survive treatment. We will collect data from patients at four time points: diagnosis, 4-6 months after diagnosis, and 12 and 18 months post-diagnosis. By labor market decisions, we mean changes in patients' and spouses' employment status, decisions to remain in jobs, and changes in hours worked. We will compare our study groups' labor market decisions and outcomes to a cohort of similar individuals in the Current Population Survey (CPS) to ensure that the changes we observe in the labor market decisions in the cancer population are not due to changes in the economy or changes attributable to aging. Specifically, our aims are to: 1) Determine if patients diagnosed with cancer increase or decrease labor market participation; 2) For patients who are married, examine if their spouses increase or decrease their labor market participation; 3) Determine if changes in employment status lead to consequences such as changes in income and health insurance coverage; and 4) Estimate the productivity costs of cancer and its treatment for patients and their spouses that can be used in future studies of cost-effectiveness comparing various cancer therapies. We address the labor market effects of cancer and its treatment in an important way -- we hypothesize that the demand for health insurance is a primary motivator to remain in the work force. Our study will provide a unique, rich data set that models the labor market experience of patients and their spouses. These data will be the most comprehensive data available on the employment and economic experience of survivors and their spouses and can 1) be used to inform public policy and 2) provide estimates of productivity losses for future studies of cost-effectiveness of screening and treatment.
| Luo, Zhehui; Gardiner, Joseph C; Bradley, Cathy J (2010) Applying propensity score methods in medical research: pitfalls and prospects. Med Care Res Rev 67:528-54 |
| Oberst, Kathleen; Bradley, Cathy J; Gardiner, Joseph C et al. (2010) Work task disability in employed breast and prostate cancer patients. J Cancer Surviv 4:322-30 |
| Oberst, Kathleen; Bradley, Cathy J; Schenk, Maryjean (2009) Breast and prostate cancer patient's reliability of treatment reporting. J Registry Manag 36:12-5 |
| Bradley, Cathy J; Neumark, David; Luo, Zhehui et al. (2007) Employment and cancer: findings from a longitudinal study of breast and prostate cancer survivors. Cancer Invest 25:47-54 |
| Bradley, Cathy J; Neumark, David; Luo, Zhehui et al. (2007) Employment-contingent health insurance, illness, and labor supply of women: evidence from married women with breast cancer. Health Econ 16:719-37 |
| Bradley, Cathy J; Oberst, Kathleen; Schenk, Maryjean (2006) Absenteeism from work: the experience of employed breast and prostate cancer patients in the months following diagnosis. Psychooncology 15:739-47 |
| Bradley, Cathy J; Neumark, David; Luo, Zhehui et al. (2005) Employment outcomes of men treated for prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 97:958-65 |
| Bradley, Cathy J; Neumark, David; Bednarek, Heather L et al. (2005) Short-term effects of breast cancer on labor market attachment: results from a longitudinal study. J Health Econ 24:137-60 |
| Bradley, Cathy J; Bednarek, Heather L; Neumark, David (2002) Breast cancer and women's labor supply. Health Serv Res 37:1309-28 |
| Bradley, Cathy J; Bednarek, Heather L; Neumark, David (2002) Breast cancer survival, work, and earnings. J Health Econ 21:757-79 |
