Supporting Self-Employed Cancer Survivors to Continue Working

Experiences of Social Welfare Counsellors and Survivors

Datos Bibliográficos

ID15463527
AutoresSteffen Torp (0000-0002-8335-719X, University of South-Eastern Norway, autor de correspondencia), Birgit Brusletto (0000-0002-7095-0875, University of South-Eastern Norway), Bente Nygaard (University of South-Eastern Norway), Tina Blomquist Withbro (University of South-Eastern Norway), Linda Sharp (0000-0001-9515-1722, Newcastle University)
Año2021
Volumen18
Número8
Páginas4164-4164
Fecha de publicación2021-04-14
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
EditorialMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph18084164
PMID33920753
OpenAlexW3157009604
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas1
Referencias citadas25

Few studies have investigated the support needed or received by self-employed cancer survivors to continue working. In Norway, the Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) is responsible for supporting people both practically and financially to continue or return to work following ill health. Social welfare counsellors (NAV counsellors) are responsible for guiding workers in their effort to return to work. This study aimed to investigate NAV counsellors' experiences of supporting self-employed cancer survivors. We also report how self-employed people experienced the support they received from NAV during and after cancer treatment. We conducted individual in-depth interviews among seven self-employed cancer survivors and seven NAV counsellors with experience in supporting self-employed cancer survivors. The survivors experienced NAV as largely absent and considered that the support offered was not very useful. The NAV counsellors stated that self-employed workers are in a difficult situation and that regulations and means of support were primarily designed to fit salaried workers. While they felt they were supposed to function as an "employer" for the self-employed, they found this difficult because of lack of time, expertise and means for supporting self-employed. These findings suggest that the social welfare system in Norway is not adapted to support sick self-employed people appropriately

Cancer · Demographic economics · Economics · Family medicine · Political science · Self employed · Social support · Social Welfare · Welfare · Work (physics · Cancer survivorship and care · Engineering · Family Support in Illness · Medicine · Nursing · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues · Psychology · Social Psychology · Social Work