Breast Cancer Survivors' Experiences of Managers' Actions During the Return to Work Process: A Scoping Review of Qualitative Studies

Abstract

Purpose: Managers' actions can facilitate the return to work (RTW) process for breast cancer survivors (BCS). However, data on BCS' experiences of managers' actions regarding RTW are dispersed across multiple qualitative studies and do not offer useful insights for managers to support employees returning to work. This study aimed to summarize and map managers' actions experienced by BCS over three RTW phases (before, during, after) and categorize them as facilitating or hindering RTW.

Methods: A scoping review of qualitative studies was conducted. Four databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, EMBASE) were systematically searched for articles published between 2000 and 2022. Studies and participant characteristics were extracted using an excel spreadsheet. A thematic analysis with a predominantly deductive and semantic approach was conducted.

Results: Twenty-nine studies were included after screening 1042 records. Five themes were generated from the data. Two themes addressed the phase 'before RTW': 'managers' interpersonal skills' and 'preparing for RTW'; three in the 'during RTW' phase: 'managers' interpersonal skills', 'offering work flexibility', and 'offering work accommodations', and only one, 'paying attention to follow-up', was addressed in the 'after RTW' phase.

Conclusion: This review mapped managers' actions experienced by BCS in three phases of the RTW process. Results suggested that, according to BCS, managers need to mobilize specific skills to provide appropriate support during the RTW process. Further research is needed to better understand the skills underlying managers' actions facilitating the RTW process.

Keywords: Breast cancer survivors; Managers; Qualitative studies; Return to work; Scoping review.