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Session Item

Health services research/health economics
Digital Poster
Clinical
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Radiation Oncology Departments in Brazil
Gerson Hiroshi Yoshinari Jr, Brazil
PO-1461

Abstract

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Radiation Oncology Departments in Brazil
Authors:

Gerson Hiroshi Yoshinari Jr1, HARLEY F. OLIVEIRA2, IGOR M. VERAS3, WILSON J. ALMEIDA JR4, NILCEANA M.A. FREITAS5, MARCUS S. CASTILHO6, ANTONIO C. DE A. PELLIZZON7, FELIPE ERLICH8, RENATO J. AFFONSO JR.9, ÍCARO T. DE CARVALHO10, ANDRÉ C. C. LEITE11, FELIPE Q. KUHNEN12, ROSA M. X. F. NAJAS13, LUCIANO VITORINO MAGALHAES14, ARTHUR ACCIOLY ROSA15

1ONCOMINAS; FACULDADE DE MEDICINA DE ITAJUBA, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, ITAJUBA, Brazil; 2Centro de Tratamento em Radio-Oncologia (CTR); Márcio Cunha Hospital – Fundação São Francisco Xavier, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, RIBEIRAO PRETO, Brazil; 3Regional Integrated Oncology Center, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, FORTALEZA, Brazil; 4Moinhos dos Ventos Hospital, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil; 5Araújo Jorge Hospital of the Góias State Association Against Cancer, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, GOIANIA, Brazil; 6Felicio Rocho Hospital, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil; 7 AC Camargo Hospital, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, SAO PAULO, Brazil; 8 José Alencar Gomes da Silva National Cancer Institute (INCA), RADIATION ONCOLOGY, RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil; 9Barretos Cancer Hospital, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, BARRETOS, Brazil; 10ALBERT EINSTEIN HOSPITAL, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, SAO PAULO, Brazil; 11Dom Pedro de Alcantara Hospital, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, FEIRA DE SANTANA, Brazil; 12Charity Hospital of Florianópolis, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, FLORIANOPOLIS, Brazil; 13Rio Grande do Norte State League Against Cancer, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, NATAL, Brazil; 14FACULDADE DE MEDICINA DE ITAJUBA, MEDICAL SCHOOL, ITAJUBA, Brazil; 15Santa Izabel Hospital and Português da Bahia Hospital; Oncoclinicas Group, RADIATION ONCOLOGY, SALVADOR, Brazil

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Purpose or Objective

The COVID-19 pandemic brought several challenges to cancer practice, especially to ensure continuity of treatment during this period, minimizing the risks of transmission to a vulnerable population. For Radiation Oncology departments in Brazil, this contingency has become even more complex due to the significant impact observed in different sectors of society, the large number of cases and deaths by COVID-19. This study estimated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Brazilian Radiation Oncology departments and the coping measures used in the country.

Material and Methods

The Brazilian Radiotherapy Society (SBRT) developed a questionnaire with 14 questions, sent to all heads of Radiation Oncology departments in the country, between May and June 2020. These data were evaluated regarding cases confirmed and deaths by COVID-19 in epidemiological week 28, on July 11, 2020.

Results

One hundred twenty-six questionnaires from different regions were answered, representing 44% of the country’s services. A drop in the number of patients was observed in 61% of services. This drop was observed both in patients from the public and supplementary private health insurance systems. Regarding patients and employees with COVID-19, we observe that services that primarily treat SUS patients reported significantly fewer cases of the disease. About half of the services had collaborators and patients during radiotherapy with a positive diagnosis of COVID-19. Among the coping measures, the services used intensified hygiene and cleanliness, distance, restrictions on access to companions, and other changes in daily practice.



Conclusion

There was an important drop in the number of radiotherapy patients in the country during the pandemic, and this impact happened in a similar way among the services, regardless of their characteristics and coping measures adopted during the pandemic.