Psychological aspects in a return to work after a diagnosis

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marika.audet-lap[email protected]m
www.psymedicis.com
OEMAC
Psychological aspects in a
return to work after a
diagnosis of cancer
Marika Audet-Lapointe, Ph.D
Psychologist in oncology
Conflicts of interest
Speaker is or has acted as expert consultant
and speaker for:
Hoffmann-LaRoche
Sanofi - Aventis
Celgene Inc.
Learning objectives
Identify psychological issues surrounding
return to work in an oncology setting
Identify the psychological consequences
of cancer treatments/cognitive function,
emotional regulation
Incorporate ways to optimize professional
skills

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Onco-psychology
Psychological health Cancer
Cancer Psychological health
Psychological stress?
«« Stress Stress isis NUTSNUTS »»
 NNoveltyovelty
 UUnpredictabilitynpredictability
 TThreathreat to the Egoto the Ego
 SSenseense of Controlof Control
Cognitive
interpretation
http://www.humanstress.ca/
Cancer and NUTS
N: novelty (disease, treatment, hospital,
medical language)
U: unpredictable therapeutic success,
unclear etiology
T: life / death, identity, sexuality, body image
S: loss of body control (sens of control)

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Work and cancer
Coping Avoidance
Assess!!!
Return to work, why?
Recovery, restoring identity
Sens of normality
Sens of control
Distraction
Financial need
Support/social network
McKay et al. 2013; Van Muijen et al., 2013; Wells et al. 2012
Return to work - challenges
Work aspect
Emotional
Cognitive

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Work aspect
employee apprehension/expectation
manager expectation
manager cancer knowledge
cancer belief in team work
McKay et al. 2013; Van Muijen et al., 2013; Wells et al. 2012
Emotinal challenges
Fear of recurrence
Identity (disorientation)
Stress reactiviy
Beliefs around work stress and cancer
Fatigabillity
Why emotional vulnerability?
Adaptation process
Psychological factor
Stress response (cortisol)
Iatrogenic menopause
Dehydration, anemia, thyroid function

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Cognitive challenges
Chemobrain/ chemofog/ Chemotherapy-
induced cognitive impairment (CICI),
Cerveau dans le brouillard/ brouillard
cérébral
Argyriou et al. (2010)
Chemobrain Régulation
adaptation
Structural and functional neuroimaging
Simo et al. 2013