TY - JOUR
T1 - Caring Advanced Cancer Patients at Home During COVID-19 Outbreak
T2 - Burnout and Psychological Morbidity Among Palliative Care Professionals in Italy
AU - Varani, Silvia
AU - Ostan, Rita
AU - Franchini, Luca
AU - Ercolani, Giacomo
AU - Pannuti, Raffaella
AU - Biasco, Guido
AU - Bruera, Eduardo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
PY - 2021/2
Y1 - 2021/2
N2 - Context: Providing palliative care (PC) at home for patients with advanced cancer has become essential during the COVID-19 emergency. Nevertheless, the home PC professionals (PCPs) faced a challenging situation because of increased number of discharged patients, reduced availability of health-care facilities, and physical/relational barriers between them and patients. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on burnout and psychological morbidity among home PCPs in Italy. Methods: One hundred and ninety-eight PC physicians and nurses working in home assistance in Italy were invited to participate. The results obtained by the investigation conducted during the COVID-19 emergency (COVID2020) were compared with data collected in 2016 in the same setting (BURNOUT2016). The questionnaires (socio-demographics, Maslach Burnout Inventory and General Health Questionnaire-12) were the same for both the surveys. The PCPs participating in COVID2020 survey (n = 145) were mostly the same (70%) who participated in the BURNOUT2016 study (n = 179). Results: One hundred and forty-five PCPs participated in the study (response rate 73.2%). During the COVID-19 emergency, home PCPs presented a lower burnout frequency (P < .001) and higher level of personal accomplishment than in 2016 (P = .047). Conversely, the risk for psychological morbidity was significantly higher during the pandemic (P < .001). Conclusions: In the age of COVID-19, the awareness of being at the forefront of containing the pandemic along with the sense of responsibility toward their high-risk patients may arouse PCPs' psychological distress, but, on the other hand, this condition may improve their sense of professional satisfaction and personal accomplishment.
AB - Context: Providing palliative care (PC) at home for patients with advanced cancer has become essential during the COVID-19 emergency. Nevertheless, the home PC professionals (PCPs) faced a challenging situation because of increased number of discharged patients, reduced availability of health-care facilities, and physical/relational barriers between them and patients. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on burnout and psychological morbidity among home PCPs in Italy. Methods: One hundred and ninety-eight PC physicians and nurses working in home assistance in Italy were invited to participate. The results obtained by the investigation conducted during the COVID-19 emergency (COVID2020) were compared with data collected in 2016 in the same setting (BURNOUT2016). The questionnaires (socio-demographics, Maslach Burnout Inventory and General Health Questionnaire-12) were the same for both the surveys. The PCPs participating in COVID2020 survey (n = 145) were mostly the same (70%) who participated in the BURNOUT2016 study (n = 179). Results: One hundred and forty-five PCPs participated in the study (response rate 73.2%). During the COVID-19 emergency, home PCPs presented a lower burnout frequency (P < .001) and higher level of personal accomplishment than in 2016 (P = .047). Conversely, the risk for psychological morbidity was significantly higher during the pandemic (P < .001). Conclusions: In the age of COVID-19, the awareness of being at the forefront of containing the pandemic along with the sense of responsibility toward their high-risk patients may arouse PCPs' psychological distress, but, on the other hand, this condition may improve their sense of professional satisfaction and personal accomplishment.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Cancer
KW - palliative care
KW - pandemics
KW - psychological burnout
KW - psychological distress
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.11.026
DO - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.11.026
M3 - Article
C2 - 33249082
AN - SCOPUS:85099270723
SN - 0885-3924
VL - 61
SP - e4-e12
JO - Journal of pain and symptom management
JF - Journal of pain and symptom management
IS - 2
ER -