Health Problems of Company Employees With Cancer in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study compares health issues in Japanese employees with cancer to those without cancer, finding differences based on sex and cancer type.

Contribution

The study identifies specific health problems in employees with cancer stratified by sex and cancer type, providing insights for workplace support.

Findings

Male employees with gastrointestinal cancer had lower odds of eyestrain and lower back pain compared to those without cancer.

Female employees with cervical cancer had higher odds of heart diseases and hypertension compared to those without cancer.

Female employees with breast cancer had higher odds of musculoskeletal diseases compared to those without cancer.

Abstract

Background: With an increase in employees with cancer, employers are making efforts to ensure that employees with cancer can continue to work while maintaining and improving their physical and mental health, just as those without cancer. However, little is known about how the health conditions of employees undergoing cancer treatment differ from those of employees without cancer. This study aimed to examine health problems other than cancer in employees with cancer compared to those without cancer, stratified based on sex and cancer type.

Methods: This study was conducted using data from the Stress Check Program and health insurance claims for Japanese corporate employees in 2015 and 2016. Stratified based on sex and cancer type, 19 health problems such as depressive symptoms, anxiety, indefinite complaints, and diseases in 219 employees with cancer (56 males with gastrointestinal cancer, 96 females with cervical cancer, and 67 females with breast cancer) and 14,017 employees without cancer were compared. Logistic regression analyses were performed with each health problem as the objective variable, cancer as the explanatory variable, and age, job position, and department as the adjusted variables.

Results: Male employees with gastrointestinal cancer had lower odds ratios (ORs) for eyestrain and lower back pain than those without cancer. Female employees with cervical cancer had higher ORs for heart diseases and hypertension, and those with breast cancer had higher ORs for musculoskeletal diseases than those without cancer.

Conclusions: Male employees with gastrointestinal cancer had less eyestrain and lower back pain than those without cancer. Female employees with cervical cancer had more heart diseases and hypertension than those without cancer, whereas those with breast cancer had more musculoskeletal diseases than those without cancer. Therefore, workplace support measures for these health problems among female employees with cervical or breast cancer are needed.

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