Oncology Healthcare Professionals’ Mental Health During the Covid-19 Pandemic

The paper begins by reviewing the literature on oncology healthcare professionals’ (HCP) mental health. We summarize and present the current data on HCP mental health in order to understand the baseline state of oncology HCPs’ mental health status prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. At each juncture, we will discuss the implications of these mental health variables on the personal lives of HCPs, the healthcare system, and patient care. We follow by reviewing the literature on these parameters during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on the overall mental health of HCPs working in oncology. By reviewing and summarizing the data before and after the start of the pandemic, we will get a fuller picture of the pre-existing stressors facing oncology HCPs and the added burden caused by pandemic-related stresses. The second part of this review paper will discuss the implications for the oncology workforce and offer recommendations based on the research literature in order to improve the lives of HCPs, and in the process, improve patient care

Associação Entre Estigma, dor e Qualidade de Vida em Mulheres com Cancro da Mama

Aim: We examined the association between cancer stigma and quality of life. We further explored the role of pain intensity in this association among women with breast cancer in the first months following diagnosis. Methods: 105 women with breast cancer within 8 months of diagnosis completed self-report measures assessing cancer stigma, pain intensity and quality of life. Results: Our findings show that stigma among breast cancer patients is associated with worse quality of life. Pain intensity partially mediated the relationship between cancer stigma and quality of life. We recruited a convenience sample of women with breast cancer, which may be subject to selection bias. The cross sectional design of the study precludes inferences regarding causality. Conclusions: Health professionals should recognize and mitigate the impact of stigma as an important factor that is associated with impaired quality of life among patients with breast cancer. Continued attention should be paid to pain intensity and the complex relationship between stigma and pain in predicting quality of life.Objetivo: O presente estudo procurou analisar a associação entre o estigma e a qualidade de vida em pessoas com cancro. Foi ainda explorado o papel da intensidade da dor nesta associação, em mulheres com cancro de mama, nos primeiros meses após o diagnóstico. Método: 105 mulheres com cancro da mama (até 8 meses após o diagnóstico) completaram medidas de autorrelato avaliando o estigma relacionado com o cancro, a intensidade da dor e a qualidade de vida. Resultados: Os nossos resultados mostram que o estigma entre pacientes com cancro de mama está associado a uma pior qualidade de vida. A intensidade da dor mediou parcialmente a relação entre o estigma relativo ao cancro e a qualidade de vida. Duas limitações são o facto de a amostra de mulheres com cancro da mama ser de conveniência, podendo ter estado sujeita a algum viés de seleção, e o facto de ser um estudo correlacional, que não permite inferências sobre causalidade. Conclusões: Os profissionais de saúde devem reconhecer e mitigar o impacto do estigma como um fator importante associado à diminuição da qualidade de vida de pacientes com cancro da mama. Deverá prestar-se atenção contínua à intensidade da dor e à complexa relação entre estigma e dor na previsão da qualidade de vida

Experiences of Canadian Oncologists with Difficult Patient Deaths and Coping Strategies Used

Objectives We aimed to explore and identify what makes patient death more emotionally difficult for oncologists and how oncologists cope with patient death. Methods A convenience sample of 98 Canadian oncologists (50 men, 48 women) completed an online survey that included a demographics section and a section about patient death. Results More than 80% of oncologists reported that patient age, long-term management of a patient, and unexpected disease outcomes contributed to difficult patient loss. Other factors included the doctor–patient relationship, identification with the patient, caregiver-related factors, oncologist-related factors, and “bad deaths.” Oncologists reported varying strategies to cope with patient death. Most prevalent was peer support from colleagues, including nurses and other oncologists. Additional strategies included social support, exercise and meditation, faith, vacations, and use of alcohol and medications. Conclusions Oncologists listed a number of interpersonal and structural factors that make patient death challenging for them to cope with. Oncologists reported a number of coping strategies in responding to patient death, including peer support, particularly from nursing colleagues. No single intervention will be suitable for all oncologists, and institutions wishing to help their staff cope with the emotional difficulty of patient loss should offer a variety of interventions to maximize the likelihood of oncologist participation

Suivre des voies parallèles : perspectives de patientes et de médecins sur les raisons pour lesquelles les femmes tardent à rechercher des soins pour leurs symptômes de cancer du sein

Dans la littérature sur le cancer du sein, le terme « consultation tardive » est défini comme étant un retard de > 3 mois entre le moment de l’auto-détection d’un nouveau symptôme de cancer du sein et celui de la consultation auprès d’un prestataire de soins. Il a pourtant été établi que la détection précoce du cancer du sein s’accompagne de meilleurs résultats cliniques. Cette étude qualitative avait pour but d’explorer les raisons pour lesquelles les femmes tardent à rechercher des soins pour leurs symptômes de cancer du sein en cernant les perspectives de femmes et de médecins de famille. L’analyse narrative a été employée afin de révéler la manière dont les individus donnent un sens à leurs expériences et de dégager les parties de leurs récits qui revêtent le plus d’importance à leurs yeux. Nous avons découvert des différences dans les exposés explicatifs des femmes, d’une part, et des médecins de famille, d’autre part, concernant la compréhension de ces retards. Les suggestions visant à favoriser une consultation plus précoce comprennent notamment l’amélioration de la communication édecin-patients et la promotion de la neutralité, chez les médecins et les professionnels de la santé, quant aux attributions qu’ils se forgent à propos du retard de consultation chez les femmes

Travelling on parallel tracks: Patient and physician perspectives on why women delay seeking care for breast cancer symptoms

In the breast cancer literature, “delayed presentation” is defined as a delay of > 3 months from the self-detection of a new breast cancer symptom until presentation to a health care provider. It has been established that early detection of breast cancer is associated with better health outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore reasons why women delay seeking care for their breast cancer symptoms by asking both women and family physicians for their perspectives. Narrative analysis was used to reveal the ways in which people make sense of their experiences and which parts of their stories are most important to them. We found differences in the explanatory narratives of women versus those of family physicians when it came to understanding delay. Suggestions to promote earlier presentation include improving physician-patient communication and encouraging physician and health care professional neutrality in making attributions about women’s delay

Single-parent caregivers of children with cancer: factors assisting with caregiving strains

Objectives: Caring for a child with a cancer can result in significant financial strain on families, which in turn can affect parental emotional, physical, and social health. We explored the supportive factors and resources that helped single parents of children with cancer throughout the caregiving process. Methods: Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, we recruited 29 single parents of children with cancer that were at least 6 months postdiagnosis and 2 hospital social workers across 4 Canadian pediatric oncology centers. Results: Many parents had knowledge of, accessed, and received support from family, friends, community (eg, teachers, religious organizations) and cancer organizations and government programs. Nonetheless, they reported a number of unmet needs. Conclusions: Participants reported their need for more social-emotional, practical, and financial support to assist them with their caregiving duties. We recommend that hospitals provide education to describe (a) supports available to families and (b) parental caregiver needs to families' support networks. Further research is needed to identify limitations of the current public benefit schemes for caregivers