Factors affecting the decision to disclose illness and responses from human resource professionals to survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young-adult cancer

Tsuchiya Miyako, Tazaki Makiko, Takata Yoshinori, Takahashi Miyako

doi:10.11412/jspho.56.189

<p>The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore the factors affecting illness disclosure in first-job-seeking survivors of childhood, adolescent, or young-adult cancer and reactions from people in human resources to the disclosure. Sixteen survivors participated in semistructured, face-to-face interviews, and 12 transcripts that clearly identified situations of illness disclosure in first-job seeking were analysed using thematic analysis. Factors that contributed to the decision to disclose were ‘perceived health problems after treatment and self-identity as cancer survivors’, ‘advice about illness disclosure from surrounding people’, ‘impact of illness disclosure on obtaining the job’, ‘emotional burden of withholding illness disclosure’, and ‘anticipated difficulty after employment due to withholding of illness disclosure’. Survivors who did not perceive health problems after treatment as an issue in their daily life tended not to disclose. However, survivors who were concerned about increased emotional burden from withholding disclosure and those who judged that they would need accommodations after employment tended to disclose. Reactions from human resource professionals were ‘matter-of-fact attitudes’, ‘comparisons with other employees’, and ‘inquiries about the current state of illness’. Reactions were not always positive, with variation observed depending on whether the corporation in question employed individuals with cancer or similar disabilities, or if the professional had personal knowledge about cancer. These findings suggest that support may be necessary for first-job-seeking survivors. Specifically, it may be necessary to provide information about both pros and cons of illness disclosure, as well as strategic support regarding when and how illness should be disclosed.</p>

Factors affecting the decision to disclose illness and responses from human resource professionals to survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young-adult cancer

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