"I'm Worried About Telling My Employer Because I Want to Work": Factors Affecting MDWs' Communication Work During Cancer.

Authors

Margo Turnbull, Madhu Neupane Bastola, Jeffry Oktavianus

Published in

Health communication. Pages 1-13. Aug 11, 2026. Epub Aug 11, 2026.

Abstract

Communication during cancer often constitutes significant "communication work," demanding time, energy, and cognitive resources, as conceptualized by the integrative theory of communication work (ITCW). This burden is exacerbated for vulnerable populations, such as female migrant domestic workers (MDWs), who face additional challenges, including dependency on employers for healthcare access, precarious employment, language barriers, and limited social support. This qualitative study, drawing on focus group discussions with Filipino MDWs diagnosed with cancer in Hong Kong, explores factors that affect their communication work. Our analysis reveals that several personal, social, structural, and informational factors complicate MDWs' communication work during the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. These findings extend the ITCW framework to MDWs with cancer, offering insights into the unique burdens they face and informing strategies to reduce communication work, conserve resources, and improve health and well-being.

PMID:
42578826
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 11 Aug 2026.

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