LBA70_PR - The impact of COVID-19 on oncology professionals: Initial results of the ESMO resilience task force survey collaboration

Background

The impact of the COVID-19 (CV-19) pandemic on wellbeing has the potential for serious negative consequences on work, home life and patient care. The ESMO Resilience Task Force collaboration set out to investigate wellbeing in oncology over time since CV-19.

Methods

2 online surveys were conducted (survey I April/May; survey II July/August 2020). Statistical analyses were used to examine group differences, associations and to explore predictors of key outcomes: 1) wellbeing/distress (Wellbeing Index (WBI-9)), 2) burnout (1 item); and 3) CV-19 job performance (2 item CJP; standard of care and job delivery compared to pre-CV 19).

Results

Survey I had 1520 participants from 101 countries. Responses indicate that CV-19 is impacting the oncology workforce resulting in a number of changes to work and personal lives. 25% were at risk of distress (poor wellbeing, WBI ≥4); 38% reported feeling burnout and 66% were not able to perform their job compared to pre-CV-19. Higher CJP was significantly associated with better wellbeing and not feeling burnout (p<0.01). Differences were seen in wellbeing and CJP between countries (p<0.001) and related to CV-19 country mortality rate (p<0.05). The main predictors of wellbeing, burnout and CJP were resilience and changes to work hours. Others frequently identified were coping strategies, ethnicity, concern about training/career, worried about current wellbeing, and working conditions. In Survey II, results from 942 participants are undergoing analysis. Overall, comparisons between surveys show overall wellbeing and burnout rates have worsened overtime but CJP has improved. Among 272 participants who completed both surveys, WBI scores ≥4 (indicating higher risk of distress) and burnout rates were higher in survey II compared to survey I (22% vs 31% p=0.01; 35% vs 49% p=0.001 respectively) suggesting wellbeing and burnout may be worsening overtime. CJP improved (38% vs 54% p<0.001).

Conclusions

In the largest global survey series, COVID-19 is impacting on the wellbeing and job performance of oncology professionals. Risk of distress and burnout has increased over time. Urgent measures to address wellbeing and improve resilience are essential.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

ESMO.

Funding

ESMO.

Disclosure

S. Banerjee: Research grant/Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant/Funding (self): GSK; Honoraria (self): Amgen; Honoraria (self): AstraZeneca; Honoraria (self): MSD; Honoraria (self): GSK; Honoraria (self): Clovis; Honoraria (self): Genmab; Honoraria (self): Merck Serono; Honoraria (self): Mersana; Honoraria (self): Pfizer; Honoraria (self): Seattle Genetics; Honoraria (self): Tesaro. C. Oing: Research grant/Funding (institution): PharmaMar; Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Ipsen; Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: PharmaMar; Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Medac. K. Punie: Honoraria (self): AstraZeneca; Honoraria (self): Eli Lilly; Honoraria (self): Novartis; Honoraria (self): Pfizer; Honoraria (self): Pierre Fabre; Honoraria (self): Hoffmann La Roche; Honoraria (self): Vifor Pharma; Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: Eli Lilly; Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: Mundi Pharma; Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: Novartis; Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: Pfizer; Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: Hoffmann La Roche; Honoraria (self): Teva; Research grant/Funding (institution): Sanofi; Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: AstraZeneca; Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Novartis; Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Pfizer; Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: PharmaMar; Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Hoffmann La Roche. M. Lambertini: Advisory/Consultancy: Roche; Advisory/Consultancy: Novartis; Honoraria (institution): Theramex; Honoraria (institution): Takeda; Honoraria (institution): Roche; Honoraria (institution): Lilly; Honoraria (institution): Pfizer; Honoraria (institution): Novartis. C. Benedikt Westphalen: Honoraria (institution), Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Bayer; Honoraria (self), Honoraria (institution), Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Celgene; Honoraria (self), Honoraria (institution), Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Ipsen; Honoraria (self), Honoraria (institution), Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: MedScape; Honoraria (self), Honoraria (institution), Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Rafael Pharmaceuticals; Honoraria (self), Honoraria (institution), Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: RedHIll; Honoraria (self), Honoraria (institution), Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Roche; Honoraria (self), Honoraria (institution), Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Servier; Honoraria (self), Honoraria (institution), Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Shire; Honoraria (self), Honoraria (institution), Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Taiho; Research grant/Funding (institution): Roche. P. Garrido Lopez: Advisory/Consultancy: AbbVie; Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: AstraZeneca; Advisory/Consultancy: BluePrint Medicine; Advisory/Consultancy, Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: Boerhinger Ingelheim; Advisory/Consultancy, Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: BMS; Advisory/Consultancy: Gilead; Advisory/Consultancy: Guardant Health; Advisory/Consultancy: Janssen; Advisory/Consultancy: Lilly; Advisory/Consultancy, Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: MSD; Advisory/Consultancy, Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: Novartis; Advisory/Consultancy, Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: Pfizer; Advisory/Consultancy, Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: Roche; Advisory/Consultancy, Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: Takeda; Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: Rovi; Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony: Sysmex. T.M.S. Amaral: Honoraria (self), Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: BMS; Honoraria (self), Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Novartis; Honoraria (self): PIerre Fabre; Honoraria (institution): Neracare; Honoraria (institution): Sanofi. J.B.A.G. Haanen: Advisory/Consultancy: AIMM THerapeutics; Advisory/Consultancy: Amgen; Advisory/Consultancy: AZ; Advisory/Consultancy: Bayer; Advisory/Consultancy: BioNtech; Advisory/Consultancy: BMS; Advisory/Consultancy: GSK; Advisory/Consultancy: Gateta; Advisory/Consultancy: Immunocore; Advisory/Consultancy: Ipsen; Advisory/Consultancy: Merck Serono; Advisory/Consultancy: MSD; Advisory/Consultancy: Molecular Partners; Advisory/Consultancy: Roche; Advisory/Consultancy: Sanofi; Advisory/Consultancy: Seattle Genetics; Advisory/Consultancy: Third Rock Venture; Advisory/Consultancy: Vaximm; Research grant/Funding (institution): Neogene; Research grant/Funding (institution): Amgen; Research grant/Funding (institution): BMS; Research grant/Funding (institution): BIoNthech; Research grant/Funding (institution): MSD; Research grant/Funding (institution): Novartis; Advisory/Consultancy: Genentech. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.