Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Work–Family Balance of Pediatric Surgeons
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a great challenge, especially for families. We aimed to analyze the impact of the pandemic on childcare for and the work–family balance of pediatric surgeons in Germany. An anonymized questionnaire on the working and familial situation before and during the COVID-19 pa...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Surgeries |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4095/3/3/27 |
| _version_ | 1797482308316430336 |
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| author | Andrea Schmedding Claudia Assion Steffi Mayer Annika Brunner |
| author_facet | Andrea Schmedding Claudia Assion Steffi Mayer Annika Brunner |
| author_sort | Andrea Schmedding |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic has been a great challenge, especially for families. We aimed to analyze the impact of the pandemic on childcare for and the work–family balance of pediatric surgeons in Germany. An anonymized questionnaire on the working and familial situation before and during the COVID-19 pandemic was sent to the members of the German Society of Pediatric Surgery and trainees in pediatric surgery (April–July 2021). One-hundred-fifty-three participants (59% female) completed the questionnaire. A total of 16% of the males and 62% of the females worked part-time. Most (68%) had underage children. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 36% reported a decrease in patients and interventions, and 55% reported an increase in the organizational work-related burden. Childcare for underage children during lockdown was organized mainly with the help of institutional emergency childcare (45%), staying home (34%), one parent working from a home office (33%), or staying home by themselves (34%). Before the lockdown, 54% reported a good work–family balance. During the lockdown, this worsened by 42%. Most of the families had to organize themselves. Different means such as a home office, flexible working hours, and different models for childcare can help to improve the situation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:30:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f08f1c3658ab4102b5354b3b5740ed61 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-4095 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:30:25Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Surgeries |
| spelling | doaj.art-f08f1c3658ab4102b5354b3b5740ed612023-11-23T18:58:25ZengMDPI AGSurgeries2673-40952022-09-013324825810.3390/surgeries3030027Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Work–Family Balance of Pediatric SurgeonsAndrea Schmedding0Claudia Assion1Steffi Mayer2Annika Brunner3Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, GermanyDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Städtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe, Moltkestraße 90, D-76133 Karlsruhe, GermanyDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20 a, D-04103 Leipzig, GermanyDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Oberhausen, Virchowstraße 20, D-46047 Oberhausen, GermanyThe COVID-19 pandemic has been a great challenge, especially for families. We aimed to analyze the impact of the pandemic on childcare for and the work–family balance of pediatric surgeons in Germany. An anonymized questionnaire on the working and familial situation before and during the COVID-19 pandemic was sent to the members of the German Society of Pediatric Surgery and trainees in pediatric surgery (April–July 2021). One-hundred-fifty-three participants (59% female) completed the questionnaire. A total of 16% of the males and 62% of the females worked part-time. Most (68%) had underage children. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 36% reported a decrease in patients and interventions, and 55% reported an increase in the organizational work-related burden. Childcare for underage children during lockdown was organized mainly with the help of institutional emergency childcare (45%), staying home (34%), one parent working from a home office (33%), or staying home by themselves (34%). Before the lockdown, 54% reported a good work–family balance. During the lockdown, this worsened by 42%. Most of the families had to organize themselves. Different means such as a home office, flexible working hours, and different models for childcare can help to improve the situation.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4095/3/3/27COVID-19 pandemicpediatric surgerywork-family balanceworking conditionspart-time workchildcare |
| spellingShingle | Andrea Schmedding Claudia Assion Steffi Mayer Annika Brunner Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Work–Family Balance of Pediatric Surgeons Surgeries COVID-19 pandemic pediatric surgery work-family balance working conditions part-time work childcare |
| title | Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Work–Family Balance of Pediatric Surgeons |
| title_full | Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Work–Family Balance of Pediatric Surgeons |
| title_fullStr | Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Work–Family Balance of Pediatric Surgeons |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Work–Family Balance of Pediatric Surgeons |
| title_short | Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Work–Family Balance of Pediatric Surgeons |
| title_sort | challenges of the covid 19 pandemic for the work family balance of pediatric surgeons |
| topic | COVID-19 pandemic pediatric surgery work-family balance working conditions part-time work childcare |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4095/3/3/27 |
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