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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2021; 25(01): e150-e159
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1722254
Original Research
Special Article COVID-19

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physicians Working in the Head and Neck Field

Rui Imamura 
1   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
Ricardo F. Bento 
1   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
Leandro L. Matos 
2   Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (Icesp), Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
William N. William  Jr.
3   Centro Oncológico BP, A Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
Gustavo N. Marta 
4   Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil
,
Aline L. F. Chaves 
5   Clinical Oncology, Grupo Brasileiro de Cabeça e Pescoço, Minas Gerais, Brazil
,
Gilberto de Castro  Jr.
6   Clinical Oncology Service, Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (Icesp), Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
Luiz P. Kowalski 
2   Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (Icesp), Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
› Author Affiliations Funding The authors declare that no funding was received to perform the present study.
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Abstract

Background With the COVID-19 pandemic, the clinical practice of physicians who work in the head and neck field in Brazil dropped dramatically. The sustained impact of the pandemic is not known.

Methods An anonymous online survey was distributed to Brazilian otolaryngologists, head and neck surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, asking about their clinical practice in the third to fourth months of the pandemic.

Results The survey was completed by 446 specialists. About 40% reported reduction of more than 75% in outpatient care. A reduction of 90% to 100% in airway endoscopies was reported by 50% of the responders, and the same rate of reduction regarding surgeries (pediatric or nasosinusal) was reported by 80% of them. Family income decreased by 50%, and the psychological burden on physicians was considerable. The availability of personal protective equipment and safety precautions were limited, especially in the public sector.

Conclusion COVID-19 is still impacting the head and neck field, and safety concerns may hinder the prompt resumption of elective care.

Keywords

coronavirus - professional practice - occupational groups - health personnel - work


Publication History

Received: 18 September 2020

Accepted: 16 November 2020

Article published online:
01 February 2021

© 2021. Fundação Otorrinolaringologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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