Educational, occupational, and insurance status of childhood cancer survivors in their fourth and fifth decades of life.

Abstract

PURPOSESurvivors of childhood cancer who are now greater than or equal to 30 years of age are available for study in significant numbers for the first time. An evaluation of their educational achievement, current employment status, frequency of problems in the work-place, and ability to obtain affordable health and life insurance was the aim of this study.PATIENTS AND METHODSThis was a case-control study of 219 childhood cancer survivors with individually matched controls from two tertiary-care pediatric centers. Telephone interviews were used and drew on a 356-item basic instrument for both subjects and controls. Medical (including intensity of therapy), marital, and psychosocial areas were included in the survey, but statistical comparisons concentrated on educational and economic issues.RESULTSThe overall current status of survivors and controls in the relevant areas, ie, education, employment, and insurance, was similar. A history of employment discrimination for entry into the uniformed services and ...