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Supportive Care in Cancer
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer 4/2023

Open Access 01-04-2023 | COVID-19 | Research

Correlation between psychological resilience and burnout syndrome in oncologists amid the Covid-19 pandemic

Authors: Anuska Budisavljevic, Renata Kelemenic-Drazin, Tajana Silovski, Stjepko Plestina, Natalija Dedic Plavetic

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 4/2023

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Abstract

Purpose

Oncologists are predisposed to developing burnout syndrome. Like other health care professionals worldwide, oncologists have endured additional, extreme challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. Psychological resilience presents a potential protective mechanism against burnout. This cross-sectional study examines whether psychological resilience eased burnout syndrome among Croatian oncologists during the pandemic.

Methods

An anonymized self-reporting questionnaire was electronically distributed by the Croatian Society for Medical Oncology to 130 specialist and resident oncologists working in hospitals. Available for completion from September 6–24, 2021, the survey comprised demographic questions; the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), covering exhaustion and disengagement; and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). The response rate was 57.7%.

Results

Burnout was moderate or high for 86% of respondents, while 77% had moderate or high psychological resilience. Psychological resilience was significantly negatively correlated with the OLBI exhaustion subscale (r =  − .54; p < 0.001) and the overall OLBI score (r =  − .46; p < 0.001). Scheffe’s post hoc test showed that oncologists with high resilience scored significantly lower on the overall OLBI (M = 2.89; SD = 0.487) compared to oncologists with low resilience (M = 2.52; SD = 0.493).

Conclusion

The findings thus indicate that oncologists with high psychological resilience are at significantly lower risk of developing burnout syndrome. Accordingly, convenient measures to encourage psychological resilience in oncologists should be identified and implemented.
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Metadata
Title
Correlation between psychological resilience and burnout syndrome in oncologists amid the Covid-19 pandemic
Authors
Anuska Budisavljevic
Renata Kelemenic-Drazin
Tajana Silovski
Stjepko Plestina
Natalija Dedic Plavetic
Publication date
01-04-2023
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 4/2023
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-07660-3

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