How Much Burnout and Coping Influence Quality of Life among Young Oncology Providers in Romania during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Lungulescu CV, Turcu-Stiolica A, Lungulescu C, Dumitrescu EA, Turcu-Stiolica RA, Croitoru VM, Cazacu IM, Gheorghe AS, Stanculeanu DL, Sur D

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022;19(9):5508 (IF = 3.390)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095508

Abstract
This study aims to investigate the correlations between burnout, coping strategies, and quality of life among young oncology healthcare workers in Romania during the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected the data using an online questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic questions, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the COPE questionnaire, and the 15D instrument. A total of 122 healthcare providers responded to our survey. We evaluated the differences in the scores among the three groups of healthcare workers in oncology under 40 years old: medical oncologists (n = 87), radiation oncologists (n = 11), and oncology nurses (n = 24). Finally, we conducted a correlation analysis between the dimensions of burnout, coping, and quality of life. Overall, the medical oncologists exhibited much higher burnout levels than nurses in the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, having statistically significant higher levels of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal achievement. Some factors were inversely associated with burnout: active approach, planning, positive interpretation and growth, and acceptance. Our findings illustrated a very good level of health-related quality of life (average = 0.93, SD = 0.06), and no statistically significant differences were found in the quality of life between the three groups. This study was the first to identify the profile of young oncology providers in Romania. Our findings may be relevant in creating preventive strategies for burnout and increasing the quality of life in Romanian young oncology providers in future crises.