ecancermedicalscience

Short Communication

Caring for the carers: safeguarding oncologists’ mental health in the time of COVID-19

15 Jun 2020
Louis Mervyn B Leones, Carlo Miguel P Berba, Alfredo V Chua Jr., Jennifer Sandoval-Tan

Taking care of patients with chronic, terminal diseases presents unique challenges to the mental health of medical oncologists. The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exacerbated these mental health risks brought about by isolation and exhaustion. Delegated to be a national COVID-19 referral centre, the University of the Philippines—Philippine General Hospital faced many challenges, including the increased workload in a perilous and anxiety-inducing national crisis which placed the entire healthcare team in an unprecedented situation. To adapt to these challenges, the Division of Medical Oncology employed the following measures to safeguard the mental health of its faculty and fellows: 1) use of psychological support materials; 2) initiation of a psychological intervention programme and 3) establishment of peer support programmes. Caring for the carers through evidence-based interventions ensures the delivery of quality care to our cancer patients despite the challenges during these trying times.

Related Articles

Laura Mendonça Diefenthaeler, Julia Kasali Lima, Maria Carolina Buj, Giovani Gadonski, Matheus Gadonski Stortti Rosa, Alexandre Vieira, Gustavo Werutsky, Roberta Pozza, Juliana Giacomazzi
Brindha Senthil Kumar, Ponnagoundanpudur Sundaramoorthy Kirit, Nachimuthu Senthil Kumar, Shanmuganandam Sumathi, Samuel Lalhruaizela, Lal Hruaitluanga, Lal Hmingliana
Parth Sharma, Mongjam Meghachandra Singh, Amod Laxmikant Borle, Disha Agrawal, Anurita Srivastava, Ravi Meher
Samvel Bardakhchyan, Sona Karamyan, Hovsep Gharadaghyan, Davit Zohrabyan, Liana Safaryan, Armen Avagyan, Lilit Harutyunyan, Vardan Bardakhchyan, Amalya Sargsyan, Mariam Mailyan, Mariam Sargsyan, Elen Baloyan, Nune Karapetyan, Marine Rushanyan, Gohar Mkrtchyan, Sahak Azizyan, Martin Harutyunyan, Gevorg Tamamyan
Mouthe Jimmy, Ndah Akelekeh, Metogo Junie, Akelekeh Aponglen Ndah, Bah Felix Juweh, Boah-Ju Bill Brisbane, Kemfang Ngowa