Cancer patients in Austria require greater mental and social support, following the release of the Austrian Cancer Report 2024, which highlights the growing challenges faced by cancer patients, particularly those in work.
Speaking at a press conference in Vienna, the experts – Paul Sevelda from the Austrian Cancer Aid (ÖKH), Eva Katharina Masel from the Austrian Palliative Society, and Kathrin Strasser-Weippl from the Centre for Oncology and Haematology at Vienna’s Wilhelminenspital – emphasised the need for job protection for cancer patients and the introduction of mandatory part-time reintegration options. “This would be essential both for human dignity and the economy,” they argued.
Cancer Patients in the Workforce
Strasser-Weippl said that 40% of people diagnosed with cancer are of working age, between 15 and 65 years. However, nearly a quarter (23%) of those cured of cancer are no longer employed two years after their treatment. Although a gradual return to work has been available since 2018, Sevelda pointed out that not all patients are aware of this option, and employers are not required to approve part-time reintegration.
“More needs to be done to ensure that cancer patients are supported in returning to work,” Sevelda said, adding that an expansion of oncological rehabilitation services is also necessary.
Financial Relief for Cancer Patients
To assist patients who have fallen into financial difficulty due to their illness, a relief fund was set up ten years ago. Sevelda reported that the Austrian Cancer Aid has distributed €3.4 million to 3,900 patients from the fund to date.
Urgent Need for Expanded Palliative Care
For those with advanced cancer, where a cure is no longer possible, the experts have called for an urgent expansion of hospice and palliative care services. Masel explained that although a fund for palliative care has been established by the National and Federal Councils, and €108 million allocated to the federal states, there is a lack of transparency regarding how this money is being used.
In some regions, such as Burgenland, Carinthia and Tyrol, the funds are being used to expand inpatient and mobile palliative care services. However, in other areas, no information has been provided on how the money is being spent.
