Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34716675›Full record

ArticleJournal of medical radiation sciences2021

A survey to explore the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiation therapists in Norway and Canada: A tale of two countries.

Sara Morassaei, Lisa Di Prospero, Elisabeth Ringdalen, Sunniva S Olsen, Agnethe Korsell, Darby Erler, Carmen Ying, Sang Ho Choi, Amanda Bolderston, Jacqueline Middleton and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of medical radiation sciences, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
2.4field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 21 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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  3. Patient experience in a radiation therapy department pre- and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Sara MorassaeiPractice-Based Research and Innovation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Lisa Di ProsperoPractice-Based Research and Innovation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7192-8581
Elisabeth RingdalenHealth Faculty, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.
Sunniva S OlsenHealth Faculty, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.
Agnethe KorsellHealth Faculty, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.
Darby ErlerOdette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Carmen YingRadiation Therapy Program, Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Sang Ho ChoiRadiation Therapy Program, Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Amanda BolderstonRadiation Therapy Program, Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Jacqueline MiddletonRadiation Therapy Program, Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Safora JohansenHealth Faculty, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2307-4179
University of Alberta · CAOsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University · NOSunnybrook Health Science Centre · CAOslo University Hospital · NO

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSeveral studies have demonstrated the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care providers. However, there is little known about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted radiation therapists (RTs) in Norway or Canada. The aim of this investigation was to study the psychological impact of working during the COVID-19 pandemic among RTs in Canada and Norway.

methodsOnline surveys were administered to a convenience sample of RTs and RT department managers. Approximately 2000 and 300 RTs were invited to participate from Canada and Norway, respectively. The RT survey collected information on demographics, work-related stressors, psychological impact, quality of life, and workplace support programmes. The RT manager survey collected information on departmental changes, patient volumes, staff shortages and redeployment, personal protective equipment, and infection control measures. Descriptive analysis, group comparisons and logistic regression were used to examine the impact of COVID-19 on RTs in the two countries, while open-ended questions were examined through thematic analysis.

resultsWork-related stress and anxiety were prevalent among Canadian (n = 155) and Norwegian RTs (n = 124), with Canadian RTs reporting higher levels. Fear of transmission, changes in PPE usage, and changes in staffing were reported as the most frequent work-related stressors. Themes related to working during the pandemic included: generalised anxiety; physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms of stress; and loneliness, as well as negative impact on health and quality of relationships. Survey findings from RT department managers in Canada (n = 12) and Norway (n = 13) suggest that the pandemic had an organisational impact on RT departments due to implemented infection control measures and changes in staffing.

conclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to similar stressors amongst Canadian and Norwegian RTs but relatively higher levels of psychological impact among Canadian RTs. Findings demonstrate the importance of mental health support programmes in the workplace to mitigate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on RTs.

Indexed as

COVID-19PandemicsCanadaHumansQuality of LifeSARS-CoV-2anxietyCoronavirushealth personnelmental healthpsychological stressquality of liferadiotherapy

Identifiers

PMID34716675
PMCPMC8656195
OpenAlexW3210377698

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.