ISSN: 2940-3243

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PhD Project: Digital Mindfulness Interventions in Oncology Work Environments

by Jil Herker¹

Background

Medical technologists in radiology (MTR) are exposed to high work demands. In an international double-blind study (Beschoner et al., 2022), 97% of German MTRs and employees in imaging technology reported experiencing moderate to severe stress. As a cause, 95% of respondents mentioned the level of workload. The shortage of specialists, as evidenced by the immediate need for 840 MTR positions nationwide, feeds into the stress factor workload. This shortage is unlikely to be alleviated in the near future since 25% of currently practicing MTRs will retire by 2030 for age reasons (Blum, 2019). Specifically, staff shortages, overtime, and direct contact with Covid-19 infected individuals/materials are considered as drivers of work stress for MTRs during the pandemic. Investigations and improvements of the stress experience are essential to conquer this potential health hazard (Koninklijke Philips, 2019).

MTRs in radiotherapy encounter numerous cancer patients every day to perform radiotherapy with them. This not only entails a high level of coordination and the resulting organizational stress. The emotional stress of the cancer patients also presents a challenge to the mental health of the MTRs. The skills of stress and emotion regulation as well as self-care are therefore important resources for MTRs to cope with everyday work and to stay healthy.

Research aim and method

The study “Mindfulness Interventions in Oncology Work Environments” is designed, first, to determine whether digital health promotion interventions are effective in reducing the experience of stress in MTRs. On the other hand, two apps – a digital, modern meditation intervention (7Mind app) and a digital, traditional breathing exercise intervention (Pranayama app) – will be used to explore effects on stress experience and health promotion, among other outcomes, in MTRs to draw conclusions on the feasibility and effectiveness of the components.

Prior to the intervention, all MTRs are made aware of the relevance of self-care in an approximately half-hour awareness-raising intervention during working hours, e.g. as part of an internal meeting. The intervention is offered twice per facility in order to ensure that work operations are maintained. Since no person-level randomization can take place due to structural conditions, the MTRs will be assigned to the intervention groups (7Mind app or Pranayama app) according to quasi-experimental