SGO and the elephant that is still in the room: Wellness, burnout and gynecologic oncology

Objective. To measure wellness and burnout among gynecologic oncology clinicians and identify trends and at-risk populations to inform future interventions. Methods. Gynecologic oncologist (GO) and advanced practice provider (APP) responses to the 2020 Society of Gynecologic Oncology State of the Society survey were analyzed. The Maslach Burnout Inventory criteria for burnoutwas used. Work-life balancewas scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Chi-square testswere used to compare mental health factors and the prevalence of burnout. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for associations between burnout and gender. Results. 543 survey responses were included for analysis. Most GO (54%) and all APP respondents were female. Female GOs were disproportionately affected by burnout particularly in the Northeast (female(F): 40.9% vs male(M): 19.1%, p = 0.007) and South (F: 42.5% vs M:22.9%, p = 0.01). Burnout in female GOs over 40 was 1.79 (CI: 1.13-2.83; p-value 0.01) times higher than similarly agedmales. Females in non-private practice experienced burnout 1.66 times that of males in similar positions (CI: 1.18-2.94; p < 0.0001). Female GOs reported theworstwork-life balance across all 5 domains. APPs and female GOs experiencedmore stress and feeling overwhelmed compared to men. GOs were more reluctant to see a mental health professional (p = 0.0003) or take medication (p= 0.009) than APPs. Conclusions. Burnout in gynecologic oncology persists in both genders and is felt most acutely by female GOs. APPs are not immune and would benefit from inclusion in future research to mitigate burnout in healthcare clinicians. (c) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study assessed the wellness and burnout among gynecologic oncology clinicians and found that female clinicians, especially over the age of 40 and those in non-private practice, were more susceptible to burnout. Female clinicians also reported poorer work-life balance and higher levels of stress and feeling overwhelmed compared to male clinicians and advanced practice providers. There was a reluctance among clinicians, especially gynecologic oncologists, to seek mental health support or take medication. Including advanced practice providers in future research could help mitigate burnout among healthcare clinicians.