Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric anesthesiologists

Editor's Note

This survey of members of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia finds that COVID-19 has affected the personal and professional lives of pediatric anesthesiologists, with women and non-whites disproportionately affected.

Of 561 respondents:

• 21.7% planned to change their clinical responsibilities, and 10.6% planned to decrease their professional working time because of COVID-19, with women more likely than men to anticipate a future job change
• 14.2% planned to retire early, and 11.9% planned to retire later, and changes in retirement planning and future occupational planning were strongly linked to total job satisfaction scores
• 25.1% felt socially isolated, and women and nonwhites had higher likelihoods of burnout.

The researchers concluded that the pandemic has significantly affected personal finances, home responsibilities, and retirement planning; reduced clinical and academic practice times and responsibilities; and increased feeling of social isolation, stress, burnout, and depression/anxiety in pediatric anesthesiologists.