Has COVID-19 had a greater impact on female than male oncologists? Results of the ESMO Women for Oncology (W4O) Survey

ESMO Open

article

P. Garrido¹  A.A. Adjei²  J. Bajpai³  S. Banerjee⁴  A.S. Berghoff⁵  S.P. Choo⁶  E. Felip⁷  A.J.S. Furness⁸  E. Garralda⁹  J. Haanen^1,10  A. Letsch^1,11  H. Linardou^1,12  S. Peters^1,13  C. Sessa^1,14  J. Tabernero^1,15  J. Tsang^1,16  J.C-.H. Yang^1,17  M.C. Garassino^1,18 

[1] Universidad de Alcalá, Medical Oncology Department, IRYCIS, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal;Mayo Clinic;Tata Memorial Centre;The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Institute of Cancer Research;Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine 1, Medical University of Vienna;Curie Oncology Singapore, National Cancer Centre Singapore;Medical Oncology Department, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Thoracic Oncology and H&N Cancer Unit, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology;Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust;Early Drug Development Unit, VHIO – Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology, HUVH – Vall d’Hebron University Hospital;Division of Medical Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute;Department of Medicine II, Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein;4th Oncology Department, Metropolitan Hospital;Oncology Department – CHUV, Lausanne University;Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland;Medical Oncology Department, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital ,(HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology;Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong;Department of Medical Oncology, National Taiwan University Cancer Center;Thoracic Oncology Unit, Medical Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori

关键词: gender;    COVID-19;    oncology;    survey;    woman;    inequalities;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.esmoop.2021.100131

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: BMJ Publishing Group

【 摘 要 】

Background European Society for Medical Oncology Women for Oncology (ESMO W4O) research has previously shown under-representation of female oncologists in leadership roles. As early reports suggested disproportionate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on women, the ESMO W4O Committee initiated a study on the impact of the pandemic on the lives of female and male oncologists.Methods A questionnaire was sent to ESMO members and put on the ESMO website between 8 June 2020 and 2 July 2020. Questions focused on the working (hospital tasks, laboratory tasks, science) and home (household management, childcare, parent care, personal care) lives of oncologists during and after COVID-19-related lockdowns.Results Of 649 respondents, 541 completed the questionnaire. Of these, 58% reported that COVID-19 had affected their professional career, 83% of whom said this was in a negative way (85% of women versus 76% of men). Approximately 86% reported that COVID-19 had changed their personal life and 82% their family life. Women were again significantly more affected than men: personal life (89% versus 78%; P = 0.001); family life (84% versus 77%; P = 0.037). During lockdowns, women reported increased time spent on hospital and laboratory tasks compared with men (53% versus 46% and 33% versus 26%, respectively) and a significantly higher proportion of women than men spent less time on science (39% versus 25%) and personal care (58% versus 39%). After confinement, this trend remained for science (42% versus 23%) and personal care (55% versus 36%).Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the professional and home lives of oncologists, especially women. Reduced research time for female oncologists may have long-lasting career consequences, especially for those at key stages in their career. The gender gap for promotion to leadership positions may widen further as a result of the pandemic.

【 授权许可】

CC BY|CC BY-NC-ND