Compassion fatigue in medical oncology and oncological radiotherapy professionals

Abstract

Introduction: Compassion Fatigue (CF) refers to the emotional exhaustion experienced by healthcare professionals who care for patients with emotional problems and/or in situations of suffering. This condition is common among cancer patients, and it is important to understand how it affects the oncologists who treat them. Objective: To assess the level of CF among senior Medical and Radiation Oncology physicians in Catalonia and to determine if there is a common profile among those who experience it. Method: Descriptive study. A total of 105 oncologists participated: 36 men (34.3%) and 69 women (65.7%). The sample included 76 specialists in Medical Oncology (72.4%) and 29 in Radiation Oncology (27.6%). An online survey was used to collect demographic, professional, and personal data. CF was assessed using the ProQoL-IV questionnaire, which includes three subscales: Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress. Results: No significant differences were observed in the ProQOL subscales based on gender, specialty, marital status, or age. However, professionals with less than 10 years of experience and those with prior psychological or psychopharmacological treatment reported lower Compassion Satisfaction. Prior psychological treatment was more common among women and professionals with less than 5 years of experience, and it was associated with higher scores on the Burnout subscale. Conclusions: Compassion Satisfaction is lower among oncologists with fewer years of experience and those who have previously undergone psychological treatment.