Italian employers' perspectives on supporting employees who return to work after cancer
Official title: Perspectives of Italian Employers Regarding the Return to Work Process of Employees Who Received a Cancer Diagnosis: a Qualitative Study
Run by Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS · NCT06994182 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will talk with Italian employers to see how they manage and support employees returning to work after a cancer diagnosis.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 30 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS Government |
| Locations | 1 site (Reggio Emilia, RE) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | June 2026 |
| Study ends | February 2027 |
| Registry record updated | August 29, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT06994182 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are Italian employers, line managers, or HR representatives who were directly involved in managing the sickness absence and return-to-work process of at least one employee diagnosed with cancer within the past five years.
✕Probably not a fit
Cancer survivors who were never employed, who were self-employed, whose employers differ substantially from the sampled companies (for example, outside Italy), or those seeking clinical treatments rather than workplace solutions are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Researchers will conduct individual semi-structured interviews with employers who managed the return-to-work process for at least one employee with cancer in the past five years. Interviews last about 60 minutes and can be done in person or remotely; they will be audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts will be analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis with open coding, iterative review after each interview, and multiple researchers to ensure coding reliability. Emerging themes will also be discussed with collaborators at Amsterdam UMC to enhance interpretive rigor.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could inform practical recommendations for employers and policymakers to improve workplace support and smoother return-to-work pathways for employees with cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Similar qualitative studies in other countries have generated useful insights into employer roles and barriers in return-to-work after cancer, but Italy-specific evidence is currently limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. employers\* of a company 2. being directly involved in managing the RTW process of at least one employee with cancer diagnosis in the last 5 years. * An employer can be the specific person who represents the company where the employee was working at the time of cancer diagnosis or a person who supported the employee during the sickness absence and the RTW process (e.g., line manager, human resource manager). Exclusion Criteria: * none
Where it's running
-
Azienda USL IRCCS di Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia, Re, Italy Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Sara Paltrinieri, PhD, OT — Azienda USL Reggio Emilia - IRCCS
- Study coordinator: Sara Paltrinieri, PhD, OT
- Email: sara.paltrinieri@ausl.re.it
- Phone: 0039 0522 522416
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.