Stress-resilience capacity of pediatric oncologists: a Swedish nationwide and population-based study of motivation, emotional distress, and overall life satisfaction.
BACKGROUND
Pediatric oncology is an area with heavy emotional distress. In balancing the daily challenges motivational factors might play a key role and could be examined by studying an individual's stress-resilience capacity. This first nationwide population-based study of 89 Swedish pediatric oncologists presents aspects of motivation related to experience and number of patients cared.


METHODS
In 2006, a cross-sectional mail survey with questionnaires dealing with motivation, coping resources, life satisfaction and emotional distress was performed. The response rate in the target group was 88%.


RESULTS
The physicians wanted to be well informed (98%) and updated at national (93%) and international (90%) level. Established routines gave them security managing different diagnoses (97%). Optimal pediatric oncology included several colleagues (98%) and a multi-professional healthcare team (95%). Time pressure was a reality for every participant. Meeting seriously ill children was a way of being aware of essential issues of life (90%). More experienced pediatricians reported higher impact from motivational factors, past overall life satisfaction and a lower degree of somatization. The future overall life satisfaction was higher among physicians meeting more pediatric oncology patients. Between 8% and 45% of the variance in the stress-resilience capacity of the whole group was explained by low levels of depression, future overall life satisfaction and aspects of motivation.


CONCLUSIONS
Pediatric oncologists continuously meet families in crisis. Knowledge of the physicians' stress-resilience capacity is expected to be useful in improving the physician-patient relationship, retaining experienced physicians and recruiting new specialists in this medical field.
Stenmarker
Margaretha
M
Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. margaretha.stenmarker@telia.com
Palmérus
Kerstin
K
Márky
Ildikó
I
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D009042:Motivation; D010372:Pediatrics; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden