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CC BY 4.0 · Brazilian Journal of Oncology 2023; 19: e-20230411
DOI: 10.5935/2526-8732.20230411
Original Article
Clinical Oncology

Implementation of a Psycho-oncology Service in a public hospital of Southeast Brazil: between politics and the COVID-19 pandemic

Implantação de um Serviço de Psico-oncologia em um Hospital Publico do Sudeste do Brasil: entre a política e a pandemia de COVID-19
Daniel Paixão Pequeno 
1   University of Campinas, Laboratory of Cancer Genetics - School of Medical Sciences, Campinas - São Paulo, Brazil
,
Karla Cristina Gaspar 
2   University of Campinas, Clinical Oncology Service - Department of Anesthesiology, Oncology and Radiology - School of Medical Sciences, Campinas - São Paulo, Brazil
,
Carmen Silvia Passos Lima 
1   University of Campinas, Laboratory of Cancer Genetics - School of Medical Sciences, Campinas - São Paulo, Brazil
2   University of Campinas, Clinical Oncology Service - Department of Anesthesiology, Oncology and Radiology - School of Medical Sciences, Campinas - São Paulo, Brazil
,
Gustavo Jacob Lourenço
1   University of Campinas, Laboratory of Cancer Genetics - School of Medical Sciences, Campinas - São Paulo, Brazil
› Author Affiliations Financial support: None to declare.
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ABSTRACT

Introduction: The implementation of a Psycho-oncology Service depends on institutional, structural, and political factors affecting the availability and quality of this service. Recent events, such as the discontinuation of the Professional Improvement Course, a funding source that supports the training of health professionals, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, have had a significant negative impact on the quality of care available to cancer patients.

Objectives: This experience report aims to describe the establishment of the Psycho-oncology Service within the Clinical Oncology Service of the General Hospital of our University and present the psychosocial impact generated by the termination of Professional Improvement Course and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of cancer patients.

Material and Methods: In order to obtain the required data for this report, interviews were held with the heads of the medical and psychological teams of the Clinical Oncology Service. The Hospital Informatics Service provided data on the number of consultations held in the Clinical Oncology Service. A t-test was performed to analyze any differences in consultation numbers.

Results: The Psycho-oncology Service was created in 2007, 21 years after the beginning of the Clinical Oncology Service. From 2007 to 2021, there were 22,235 psychology consultations, attending over 8,900 patients. The termination of the Professional Improvement Course funding led to a decrease of 41.9% in the number of consultations per month in our service. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a decrease of about 87.0% in the number of consultations per month in our service.

Conclusion: The Professional Improvement Course closing and the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly affected the care for cancer patients and their families and caregivers treated at the aforementioned service.

RESUMO

Introdução: A implementação de um Serviço de Psico-Oncologia dépende de fatores institucionais, estruturais e políticos que afetam a disponibilidade e qualidade desse serviço. Eventos recentes, como a interrupção do Curso de Aperfeiçoamento Profissional, uma fonte de financiamento que apoia a formação de profissionais de saúde, e a pandemia de COVID-19, tiveram um impacto negativo significativo na qualidade do atendimento disponível para pacientes com câncer.

Objetivos: Este relato de experiência tem como objetivo descrever a criação do Serviço de Psico-Oncologia dentro do Serviço de Oncologia Clínica do Hospital de Clínicas de nossa Universidade e apresentar o impacto psicossocial gerado pelo encerramento do Curso de Aperfeiçoamento Profissional e pela pandemia de COVID-19 na vida dos pacientes com câncer.

Material e Métodos: Para obter os dados necessários para este relato, foram realizadas entrevistas com os responsáveis pelas equipes médica e psicológica do Serviço de Oncologia Clínica. O Serviço de Informática Hospitalar forneceu dados sobre o número de consultas realizadas no Serviço de Oncologia Clínica. As diferenças nos números de consultas entre os períodos foram obtidas por meio do teste t.

Resultados: O Serviço de Psico-Oncologia foi criado em 2007, 21 anos após o início do Serviço de Oncologia Clínica. De 2007 a 2021, foram realizadas 22.235 consultas de psicologia, atendendo mais de 8.900 pacientes. O encerramento do financiamento do Curso de Aperfeiçoamento Profissional levou a uma diminuição de 41,9% no número de consultas por mês em nosso serviço. A pandemia de COVID-19 levou a uma diminuição de aproximadamente 87,0% no número de consultas por mês em nosso serviço.

Conclusão: O fechamento do Curso de Aperfeiçoamento Profissional e a pandemia de COVID-19 afetaram significativamente o atendimento a pacientes com câncer e suas famílias e cuidadores atendidos em nosso serviço.

Keywords:

Hospital oncology service - Psycho-oncology - COVID-19

Descritores:

Serviço de oncologia hospitalar - Psico-oncologia - COVID-19


Publication History

Received: 27 February 2023

Accepted: 03 May 2023

Article published online:
22 June 2023

© 2023. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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Bibliographical Record
Daniel Paixão Pequeno, Karla Cristina Gaspar, Carmen Silvia Passos Lima, Gustavo Jacob Lourenço. Implementation of a Psycho-oncology Service in a public hospital of Southeast Brazil: between politics and the COVID-19 pandemic. Brazilian Journal of Oncology 2023; 19: e-20230411.
DOI: 10.5935/2526-8732.20230411
 

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