1. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Oncologists: Results of an International Study
- Author
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Assia Bensalem, A. A. Alsharm, Mohammad Alkaiyat, Sana Al-Sukhun, Abdul Rahman Jazieh, Hassan Errihani, Anelisa Kruschewsky Coutinho, Ola Khorshid, Roselle De Guzman, Layth Mula-Hussain, Hoda Jradi, and Carlos Alberto Sampaio-Filho
- Subjects
Male ,Cancer Research ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ,Cross-sectional study ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Philippines ,Psychological intervention ,MEDLINE ,Disease ,03 medical and health sciences ,Middle East ,0302 clinical medicine ,Africa, Northern ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Pandemic ,medicine ,Cancer-Related Complications ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Practice Patterns, Physicians' ,Adverse effect ,Pandemics ,media_common ,Oncologists ,business.industry ,SARS-CoV-2 ,COVID-19 ,Odds ratio ,ORIGINAL REPORTS ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Oncology ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Family medicine ,Female ,Psychological resilience ,business ,Brazil - Abstract
PURPOSE As frontline workers facing the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers should be well-prepared to fight the disease and prevent harm to their patients and themselves. Our study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of oncologists in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on them. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated questionnaire disseminated to oncologists by SurveyMonkey. The tool had 42 questions that captured participants’ knowledge, attitude, and practice; their experiences; and the pandemic’s impact on various aspects of their lives. Participants from Middle East and North African countries, Brazil, and the Philippines completed the electronic survey between April 24 and May 15, 2020. RESULTS Of the 1,010 physicians who participated in the study, 54.75% were male and 64.95% were medical or clinical oncologists. The level of knowledge regarding the prevention and transmission of the virus was good in 52% of participants. The majority (92%) were worried about contracting the virus either extremely (30%) or mildly (62%), and 84.85% were worried about transmitting the virus to their families. Approximately 76.93% reported they would take the COVID 19 vaccine once available, with oncologists practicing in Brazil having the highest odds ratio of intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine (odds ratio, 11.8, 95% CI, 5.96 to 23.38, P < .001). Participants reported a negative impact of the pandemic on relations with coworkers (15.84%), relations with family (27.84%), their emotional and mental well-being (48.51%), research productivity (34.26%), and financial income (52.28%). CONCLUSION The COVID-19 pandemic has adverse effects on various personal and professional aspects of oncologists’ lives. Interventions should be implemented to mitigate the negative impact and prepare oncologists to manage future crises with more efficiency and resilience.
- Published
- 2021