Abstract
Employment is an aspect in a person’s life that is linked to a sense of self-worth and social status (Koch, Egbert, Coeling & Ayers, 2005). Return to work following brain tumour has been widely researched in the literature of social sciences. Although studies have highlighted factors that influence return to work, the majority of research has failed to acknowledge the interaction of physical, psychological and social aspects that could impact on the re-employment process of a person with a brain tumour. The present thesis addresses this issue, by adopting relatively novel theoretical frameworks (critical realism and phenomenology) to examine the field of brain tumour and employment. Within this thesis, brain tumour is considered to be a health condition negotiated at a biological, psychological and societal level. Three studies were conducted for the purpose of this thesis. The qualitative methods adopted (Interpretative Phenomenological Approach and constructivist Grounded Theory) provided participants the opportunity to describe perspectives and experiences in their own words. Study One investigated the experiences of people with brain tumour when in the process of returning to work and when in contact with employers and Occupational Health Professionals. Study Two studied the perspectives of Occupational Health Professionals when working with people with brain tumour returning to work and when collaborating with potential employers. Study Three looked into the experiences of employers who hired a person with brain tumour and collaborated with Occupational Health Professionals. Results revealed a general disagreement and miscommunication among the three groups, while demonstrating that employment after brain tumour is a process affected by biological, psychological and social aspects. This notion challenges the literature proposing that brain tumour is an individualistic experience that is to be studied solely as a neurological condition. Findings also inform occupational rehabilitation services and workplace policies on their vital role in the re-employment process of a person with brain tumour.