Work‐specific cognitive symptoms and the role of work characteristics, fatigue, and depressive symptoms in cancer patients during 18 months post return to work

Objective Cancer patients can experience work‐specific cognitive symptoms post return to work. The study aims to (1) describe the course of work‐specific cognitive symptoms in the first 18 months post return to work and (2) examine the associations of work characteristics, fatigue and depressive symptoms with work‐specific cognitive symptoms over time. Methods This study used data from the 18‐month longitudinal “Work Life after Cancer” cohort. The Cognitive Symptom Checklist‐Work Dutch Version (CSC‐W DV) was used to measure work‐specific cognitive symptoms. Linear mixed models were performed to examine the course of work‐specific cognitive symptoms during 18‐month follow‐up; linear regression analyses with generalized estimating equations were used to examine associations over time. Results Working cancer patients examined with different cancer types were included (n = 378). Work‐specific cognitive symptoms were stable over 18 months. At baseline, cancer patients reported more working memory symptoms (M = 32.0; CI, 30.0‐34.0) compared with executive function symptoms (M = 19.3; CI, 17.6‐20.9). Cancer patients holding a job with both manual and nonmanual tasks reported less work‐specific cognitive symptoms (unstandardized regression coefficient b = −4.80; CI, −7.76 to −1.83) over time, compared with cancer patients with a nonmanual job. Over time, higher depressive symptoms were related to experiencing more overall work‐specific cognitive symptoms (b = 1.27; CI, 1.00‐1.55) and a higher fatigue score was related to more working memory symptoms (b = 0.13; CI, 0.04‐0.23). Conclusions Job type should be considered when looking at work‐specific cognitive symptoms over time in working cancer patients. To reduce work‐specific cognitive symptoms, interventions targeted at fatigue and depressive symptoms might be promising.