Burnout, coping and resilience of the cancer care workforce during the SARS-CoV-2: A multinational cross-sectional study

Purpose: Over the past year, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has significantly increased the demand placed on health care professionals around the world. The already complex cancer care has been complicated further by the restructuring of services (e.g., working processes, treatment allocation). This study was designed to explore the level of burnout, coping and resilience of the cancer care workforce during SARS-CoV-2. Methods: Cross-sectional, multinational study undertaken between March-May 2021. In total 271 healthcare professionals were recruited in the study. These were specialized and/or working in the oncology sector from around the globe. Data were collected with an online survey with the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Brief -COPE (Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced) Scale and The Maslach 's Burnout Inventory. Results: The majority of the participants were cancer nurses followed by oncologists. The mean overall Burnout score was 64.86 (SD 17.15), the overall COPE score was 31.72 (SD 12.39) and the overall Resilience score was 69.48 (SD 12.4). Positive correlations were found between the COPE dimensions and the burnout overall score (0.316, 0.388, 0.398). The burnout overall score was negatively correlated with the resilience score (p-0.126). Conclusion: The findings showed significand levels of burnout, diminished coping abilities and reduced resilience among cancer care professionals. This study emphasizes the need for a timely and appropriate preparation of the healthcare systems to better support cancer care professionals in the event of a new SARS-CoV-2 healthcare emergency.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate the burnout, coping, and resilience of cancer care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings revealed high levels of burnout and low levels of coping and resilience among cancer care professionals globally.