Vocational rehabilitation and cancer: is vocational rehabilitation ready for the challenges cancer assumes as a disability?

Abstract

Traditionally the term cancer provoked images of death and dying. However, with modern advances in technology and sciences the prognosis and survival rate of cancer patients has greatly improved. Cancer patients are now able to lead normal productive lives, including working. However, even with the advances in modern technology and sciences, individuals with cancer are still affected by a variety of implications associated with cancer. Cancer affects the person in physical, psychosocial, and vocational abilities. Recently people with cancer have started to seek the services of vocational rehabilitation professionals. In order for vocational rehabilitation professionals to properly serve individuals with the disability of cancer, they need to acquire accurate knowledge about cancer and learn the variables that accompany this disease. Vocational rehabilitation professionals need to have a full understanding of the incidence, treatments, physical, psychosocial, and vocational implications of cancer. It is the task of vocational rehabilitation professionals to integrate all of these variables that an individual with cancer faces. The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge and awareness level of vocational rehabilitation students and vocational rehabilitation professionals regarding the implications of cancer. This study has four main objectives, with the first being to investigate the need for a broad knowledge regarding cancer, including incidence, types, and treatments of cancer. The second objective was to investigate if more knowledge is needed regarding the many variables that affect the individual with cancer, such as physiological, psychosocial, and vocational implications. The third objective was to investigate if attitudes, opinions, and personal biases exist with vocational rehabilitation professionals and students regarding individuals with cancer. The last objective was to investigate the willingness of vocational rehabilitation professionals and students to serve individuals with cancer. The subjects for this study were asked to complete a self-report survey regarding their awareness and knowledge level of the implications of cancer. The subjects consisted of vocational rehabilitation students and current vocational rehabilitation professionals. The vocational rehabilitation students consisted of undergraduate and graduate students who were enrolled in the vocational rehabilitation program at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. The survey was distributed to undergraduate and graduate vocational rehabilitation classes offered at UW- Stout, during the summer and fall semester of 2002. The current vocational rehabilitation professionals consisted of past University of Wisconsin-Stout graduates. These current vocational rehabilitation professionals were mailed a survey along with a self-addressed stamped envelope, in order to return the completed survey. All subjects were made aware of the confidentiality and voluntary nature of the survey, along with the importance of participating in the survey. The significance of this study was to determine whether vocational rehabilitation students and vocational rehabilitation professionals have adequate and accurate knowledge regarding the implications of cancer. This study also examined if vocational rehabilitation professionals are able to properly and successfully serve the cancer clientele or if vocational rehabilitation professionals need more knowledge regarding the implications of cancer.