Use of sickness benefits by patients with metastatic breast cancer—A Swedish cohort study

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and predictors of sickness absence (SA) and disability pension (DP) in women with metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Methods: Data were obtained from Swedish registers concerning 1,240 adult women diagnosed 1997–2011 with mBC, from 1 year before (y−1) to 2 (y1) and 2 (y2) years after diagnosis. SA and DP prevalence was calculated. Odds ratios (AOR) were determined for factors associated with using long-term (SA > 180 days or DP > 0 days) sickness benefits. Results: Prevalence of SA and DP was 56.0% and 24.8% during y−1, 69.9% and 28.9% during y1, and 64.0% and 34.7% during y2, respectively. Odds of using long-term sickness benefits were higher y1 and y2 in patients using long-term sickness benefits the year before diagnosis (AOR = 3.82, 95% CI 2.91–5.02; AOR = 4.31, 95% CI 2.96–6.29, respectively) and y2 in patients with mBC diagnosis 1997–2000 (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.10–3.08) and using long-term sickness benefits the year after diagnosis (AOR = 22.10, 95% CI 14.33–34.22). Conclusions: The prevalence of sickness benefit utilisation was high and increased after mBC diagnosis, particularly for patients using long-term sickness benefits prior to diagnosis. Additional study is needed to determine factors that might reduce the need for sickness benefits and enhance work ability in these patients.