Work Ability after Breast Cancer: Study of Healthcare Personnel Operating in a Hospital of South Italy

Francesca Vella, Veronica Filetti (), Luigi Cirrincione, Venerando Rapisarda, Serena Matera, Alenka Skerjanc, Emanuele Cannizzaro and Ermanno Vitale
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Francesca Vella: Occupational Medicine Section, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
Veronica Filetti: Occupational Medicine Section, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
Luigi Cirrincione: Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care “Giuseppe D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Venerando Rapisarda: Occupational Medicine Section, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
Serena Matera: Occupational Medicine Section, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
Alenka Skerjanc: Clinical Institute for Occupational, Traffic and Sports Medicine, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Emanuele Cannizzaro: Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care “Giuseppe D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Ermanno Vitale: Occupational Medicine Section, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 17, 1-10

Abstract: Breast cancer (BrC) treatment can produce disabilities that often impact the quality of daily life and impact the social and working relationships of the patient. This paper looked into the remaining work ability in a group of female healthcare personnel (HCPs) with BrC in Southern Italy. Each HCP was subjected to a medical check, routine blood tests, and a questionnaire on the work ability index (WAI). Of 980 (100%) HCWs undergoing health control, 6% ( n = 54) had experienced BRC, and only 66.6% ( n = 36) agreed to take part in the study. A total of 28 (78%) were on night shifts. The WAI score was quite low in 5 (13.8%) cases, moderate in 10 (27.7%) cases, good in 14 (38.8%) cases, and excellent in 7 (19.5%) HCWs. Among all health figures, in nurses as well as technical staff, lower WAI scores were observed. HCWs reported various comorbidities, which affected WAI score, such as limited mobility in the upper limbs, arm/shoulder pain, numbness, and lymphoedema. The main complication that negatively affects any work activity is the morbidity in the upper limbs. This seems to affect the ability to perform tasks, and the re-entry to work is highlighted on sick leave days.

Keywords: breast cancer; HCWs; occupational medicine; work ability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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