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

ABSTRACT

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. 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 Celge e;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.