Hematology-oncology trained physicians\u00a0who treat sickle cell disease\u00a0reported\u00a0higher rates of burnout\u00a0(60%)\u00a0than their counterparts who do not provide sickle cell care\u00a0(43%) despite no differences in grit and resilience between the two groups. The data were\u00a0published\u00a0in\u00a0the American Society of Hematology’s journal,\u00a0Blood Advances.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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This is the first\u00a0and only data on burnout, grit, and resilience in sickle cell providers. We hope this\u00a0study raises awareness of the high burnout rates affecting sickle cell physicians so that institutions recognize and address the complex disparities affecting care for individuals living with sickle cell disease.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Layla Van Doren,\u00a0MD, MBA, senior\u00a0author, assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine and\u00a0classical hematologist\u00a0at Smilow Cancer Hospital<\/p>\n
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Sickle cell disease\u00a0is the most common inherited blood disorder, affecting approximately\u00a0100,000 individuals\u00a0in the United States and one out of every 365 Black births.\u00a0The disorder is\u00a0chronic and\u00a0characterized by abnormally shaped blood cells that can become lodged in the blood vessels, blocking blood flow and leading to organ damage, infection, and episodes of severe\u00a0pain.\u00a0Caring for\u00a0individuals with sickle cell disease\u00a0requires physicians to\u00a0navigate\u00a0ongoing demands across inpatient and outpatient settings,\u00a0limited treatment options,\u00a0and\u00a0persistent gaps in education that contribute to\u00a0disparities in timely, appropriate care for patients.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In their cross-sectional, nationwide survey assessing burnout among hematology-oncology\u00a0physicians, the researchers identified\u00a0several notable differences\u00a0that may explain the higher rates of burnout observed among physicians who focus on treating sickle cell disease\u00a0compared with\u00a0those who do not:\u00a0<\/p>\n
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40% of sickle cell physicians reported annual incomes of less than $350,000, compared to 64% of their colleagues\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The survey, distributed through social media platforms and\u00a0email\u00a0lists of sickle cell disease-focused organizations, included questions assessing burnout, grit, resilience, career satisfaction, workplace and personal social support, and demographics.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A total of 159 hematology-oncology physicians responded to the survey, 55 of whom treat sickle cell disease. Seventy-one percent of respondents identified as female and 59% as\u00a0white, though\u00a0sickle\u00a0cell providers were more likely to identify as Black than non-sickle cell providers (24% vs 4%).\u00a0The overall median age was 43.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Following analysis, the\u00a0data showed that both less job pride and less recreation time were directly associated with increased burnout,” said\u00a0first\u00a0author Valentina Restrepo-Espinosa,\u00a0MD,\u00a0a postdoctoral associate at Yale School of Medicine.\u00a0“Identifying\u00a0the underlying reasons for\u00a0these trends can give us a tangible plan to mitigate\u00a0the frequency of burnout\u00a0in sickle cell providers\u00a0and\u00a0reduce the\u00a0associated risks posed to patients.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
Given the\u00a0nature of the study, it has several limitations,\u00a0namely self-selection\u00a0and limited scope,\u00a0as\u00a0brevity and completion rate\u00a0were prioritized\u00a0over dimensional detail, such as the use of the single-item burnout questionnaire. Additionally,\u00a0the method of survey distribution precluded the researchers from calculating a response rate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This survey is\u00a0the first phase of\u00a0the researchers’\u00a0larger effort to understand burnout in sickle cell providers.\u00a0A\u00a0follow-up\u00a0survey\u00a0assessing individual programmatic factors that can influence or lead to burnout in sickle cell clinicians is currently underway.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Source:<\/p>\n
American Society of Hematology<\/a><\/p>\n Journal reference:<\/p>\n