In an industry first, AIA Australia and CancerAid have published leading research demonstrating how our digital health program, CancerAid Coach significantly improves return-to-work outcomes for cancer survivors.
In Australia, approximately 45% of cancer diagnoses occur in people of working age, and fortunately, due to improvements in medicine, 69% of people survive. However, while a person may recover from cancer, they may experience physical and/or psychological challenges which can hinder their return to work and wellbeing. This is significant seeing that returning to work can help cancer survivors improve their quality of life, gain a feeling of a return to normalcy, and reduce any financial implications.
Sharing our passion for supporting Australians to thrive after a cancer diagnosis, together with CancerAid we embarked on a research study that produced outstanding results. The study, conducted over three years, found:
- 30.4% of participants in the CancerAid Coach Program returned to work over a median 12-month period, compared to 17.6% in the control group,
- CancerAid Coach Program participants were 73% more likely to return to work,
- 39% of patients in the program reported reduction of their symptoms, and
- 22% of program participants returned-to-work more quickly (on average 16.5 weeks earlier than patients receiving usual care).
The findings show significant promise in the advancement of cancer patient outcomes, proving interventions such as the CancerAid Coach program, when introduced at an early stage in a patient’s recovery and combined with existing follow-up care, can lead to improved financial, physical, and mental wellbeing.
The CancerAid Coach Program consists of an online e-health app, a series of weekly messages, via email and text, and telephone health coaching sessions delivered over a twelve-week period. The program takes a holistic view and reinforces key health messages on appropriate symptom tracking, exercise, diet, mindfulness, and sleep strategies and allows patients to monitor their condition.
Currently, the program is being proactively offered to all of our life insurance customers who have notified that they intend to lodge an Income Protection claim and are having treatment for cancer.
If you would like to know more about how our CancerAid Coach Program can help your customers, please contact your AIA Strategic Partnership team.
