UNLOCKED EDITION
JANUARY 19, 2022
Study shows supplements can benefit cancer survivors’ quality of life
Dietary supplement usage may have a positive impact on the quality of life of cancer patients, according to a recent study published in the journal Cancer. Funded by CRN member Pharmavite, the study aimed to provide a cost-effectiveness analysis of dietary supplementation in cancer survivors, who are at risk of malnutrition.
"While achieving adequate nutrition through food remains the gold standard, filling key nutrient gaps through food alone continues to present as a challenge for the larger population, let alone people whose cancer impacts the ability to consume and absorb nutrients, even after treatments subside," said Susan Mitmesser, Ph.D., Pharmavite’s vice president of science and technology, in coverage from Nutritional Outlook.
By the numbers: Researchers estimated the prevalence of supplementation, hospitalization rates, quality of life, cost of care, and mortality among cancer survivors.
Probability of hospitalization was:
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12% for dietary supplement users
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20.7% for non-users
The probability of dying during the follow-up period was:
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5.8% without hospitalization in the past year and 27.3% with hospitalization for dietary supplement users
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6.6% and 28.7% with hospitalization for non-users
The bottom line: Supplement use was estimated to cost $3,650 over 10 years, an average of $1.00 per day. The benefit of lower hospitalization rates among dietary supplement users outweighs the cost of dietary supplementation after six years of supplement use, data analysis found.
"This study reveals the need for dietary supplementation to be part of the post-treatment conversation between patients and their health care providers," Dr. Mitmesser noted.
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HR Alert: Facing labor shortages? Adapting to ‘new normal’ means prioritizing employees, equity
“Companies can benefit from putting the employee’s experience first, much like we do with our customers,” advises Brian Stuesser, president of Global Recruiters of Madison, a CRN associate member. “If as leaders we continue to do what we've always done, we're in for some pretty tough times in the talent acquisition and retention departments,” he adds.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion must be top-of-mind, as well, not only in hiring practices, but for employee retention. “Once you’ve assembled your diverse team, a culture of inclusivity is needed to reap the benefits of that diversity,” explains Scheril Murray Powell, business development manager and inclusive environment screening expert for CRN associate member, Creative Services, Inc. (CSI), a certified Great Place to Work. “If your employees from underrepresented groups are not valued or respected, that’s wasted talent and puts you at risk for attrition.”
Adapt or lose out: Stuesser emphasizes the need for leadership to acknowledge that everyone’s lives—including employees’—have changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Business as usual” simply doesn’t exist anymore.
Employment and labor topics were discussed by Stuesser along with Mary Beth Reisinger of CRN member Plexus Worldwide in a recent industry-wide webinar exploring key leadership issues for 2022.
Go deeper: Access CRN’s “Leadership Issues for 2022” webinar on demand—which also covers supply chain challenges and consumer trends—here. CRN members receive special pricing with code.
Know someone in HR that you think would like to know more about opportunities and challenges with today’s supplement industry workforce? Let us know and we’ll send our “HR Alert” series and other tips and best practices their way.
See past editions of the CRN Daily Supplement