Structural Equation Model of the Quality of Working Life among Cancer Survivors Returning to Work

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to construct and validate a model of the quality of working life (QWL) among cancer survivors returning to work.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was developed. Participants included 204 cancer survivors in the extended cancer survivor stage, 6 months after returning to work, who were treated at two tertiary hospital cancer centers. The data were analyzed with SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 20.0 for confirmatory factor analysis to assess the hypothesis fit and verify the hypothesis.

Results: Factors affecting cancer survivors' quality of working liferesulted in cancer stigma and social support (explanatory power was 43.1%) and the model showed acceptable goodness of fit. In the final model, cancer stigma had a significant direct effect on social support and indirect effect on organizational health, employee health, and QWL. Additionally, social support had significant direct effect on organizational health, employee health and QWL.

Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, there is a need to develop strategies and effective intervention programs that can increase the support of supervisors and colleagues for improving overall quality of work life. Furthermore, the development of policies and intervention programs to reduce cancer stigma for the purpose of transforming perceptions through education and public relations which are indirect factors that affect the quality of work life, can contribute to improving the quality of work life for cancer survivors.