Returning to everyday life after breast cancer (follow-up project)
A prospective, multicenter study to improve occupational and/or social participation
The project team
Project management:
Scientific assistance: Eranda Sahiti
and the Medical Sociology office
Phone: (0511) 532-6426, (0511) 532-6428
Summary of the project
This project follows on from the previous project "Returning to work after breast cancer" with a fourth questionnaire survey. We are surveying almost 400 women whose first breast cancer operation was five to six years ago and who took part in the previous project from 2016 to 2019. The current survey is no longer solely about returning to work and the perception of the current situation at work, but also about returning to everyday life. This includes everyday tasks in the household, family, circle of friends and possibly voluntary work, as well as leisure activities and socializing with other people (social participation). A key question here is what help women make use of to promote their health and participation during and after breast cancer and how they rate this help.
In detail, the questionnaire contains questions on the following topics:
- the current state of health
- the professional situation and conditions at work
- leisure activities (including socializing with other people)
- possible health restrictions
- on the use of aids to improve your health and participation
Project duration: June 01, 2022 - May 31, 2024
Funding: German Cancer Aid Foundation
The study participants were recruited via the following centers
- Breast Center of the Hannover Medical School
- Diakovere Breast Center Henriettenstift Hanover
- Diakovere Breast Center Friederikenstift Hanover
- KRH-Klinikum Siloah, Hanover site
- KRH-Klinikum Robert-Koch, Gehrden site
- KRH Clinic, Großburgwedel site
- Breast Center of the Vinzenzkrankenhaus, Hanover
- Breast Center at St. Bernward Hospital, Hildesheim
- Gynecologists at Bahnhofsplatz, Hildesheim
- Sana Clinic Hameln-Pyrmont
- Ammerland Clinical Department in Westerstede
Keywords: breast cancer, social participation, professional reintegration, multicenter study, long-term study
Status of data collection in September 2023
From November 2022 to August 2023, 428 people were contacted and asked to participate in the study again. 373 questionnaires were completed and returned. This results in an adjusted response rate of 90.8 %.
The project team is currently evaluating the data collected and preparing scientific publications of the results.
Presentation of results and materials from the study
Prof. Dr. Dr. Siegfried Geyer presented a poster on the course of the study and the results to date in the "Return to everyday life after breast cancer" project, which is currently being funded by the German Cancer Aid Foundation, at the Lower Saxony Comprehensive Cancer Center's (CCC-N) healthcare research symposium on 30 August 2023.
Dr. Noeres presented the first results on the social participation of rehab participants after breast cancer at the 33rd Rehabilitation Colloquium of the German Pension Insurance Association in Bremen on 18 March 2024.
You can find the study questionnaire here.