The impact of breast cancer among Canadian women: Disability and productivity

Each year over 20,000 Canadian women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Many breast cancer survivors anticipate a considerable number of years of potential participation in the paid labour market, therefore, the link between breast cancer survivorship and productivity deserves serious consideration. The hypothesis guiding this study is that arm morbidities such as lymphedema, pain, and range of motion limitations are important explanatory variables in survivors' loss of productivity. The study draws from a larger longitudinal research project involving over 600 breast cancer survivors in four geographical locations across Canada. The study's regression results indicate that, after adjusting for fatigue, breast cancer stage, and geographical location, survivors with range of motion limitations and arm pain are more than two and half times as likely to lose some productivity capacity as compared to counterparts with no arm morbidity. The findings make a compelling argument for the necessity of adequate rehabilitation programs delivered at crucial times in breast cancer survivors' recovery. The study's unexpected finding that geographical location is a highly significant predictor of changes in productivity among breast cancer survivors is interpreted as a factor of the regulatory framework governing employment relationships in the four different jurisdictions.