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Morahan H, Hancock N, Bero L, Rooney K. Experiences of early career researchers: Influences on the design and reporting of animal experiments, and the practical and emotional support needed to enhance best practice methods. Lab Anim 2024:236772241242850. [PMID: 39102526 DOI: 10.1177/00236772241242850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
While best practice methodology in animal research aims to address reproducibility and translational issues, awareness and implementation remains low. Preclinical systematic reviews have highlighted many flaws, including issues with internal validity and reporting. With early career researchers (ECRs) heavily involved in all aspects of animal experiments, it is crucial we understand what shapes their research practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 ECRs, including research masters, PhD and postdoctoral academics. Data were collected and analysed concurrently using constant comparison techniques and an iterative approach. Findings revealed low-level awareness of best practice recommendations but a desire to engage in dedicated workshops on designing and reporting animal experiments. Current laboratory practices and previous literature were main influences on research practice, more than institutional training. An unexpected finding was the discovery of ethical and emotional dilemmas ECRs faced when working with animals. This highlights the need for a multifaceted approach to better support junior researchers, both emotionally and practically, to encourage responsible science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Morahan
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicola Hancock
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lisa Bero
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- The University of Colorado, Centre for Bioethics and Humanities
| | - Kieron Rooney
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Young L, Ferrara F, Kelly L, Martin T, Thompson-Iritani S, LaFollette MR. Professional quality of life in animal research personnel is linked to retention & job satisfaction: A mixed-methods cross-sectional survey on compassion fatigue in the USA. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298744. [PMID: 38626016 PMCID: PMC11020707 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Working with research animals can be both rewarding and challenging. The rewarding part of the work is associated with understanding the necessity for animal research to improve the health of humans and animals and the knowledge that one can provide care and compassion for the animals. Challenges with animal research include witnessing stress/pain in animals necessitated by scientific requirements, end of study euthanasia, and societal stigmatization about animal research. These challenges could be compounded with more general workplace stresses, in turn, impacting job retention and satisfaction. However, these factors have yet to be formally evaluated. Therefore, the purpose of this survey was to comprehensively evaluate professional quality of life's correlation with key workplace metrics. METHODS Six institutions were recruited to participate in a longitudinal intervention trial on compassion fatigue resiliency. This manuscript reports key baseline metrics from this survey. A cross-sectional mixed methods survey was developed to evaluate professional quality of life, job satisfaction, retention, and factors influencing compassion fatigue resiliency. Quantitative data were analyzed via general linear models and qualitative data were analyzed by theme. RESULTS Baseline data was collected from 198 participants. Personnel who reported higher compassion satisfaction also reported higher retention and job satisfaction. Conversely, personnel who reported higher burnout also reported lower job satisfaction. In response to open-ended questions, participants said their compassion fatigue was impacted by institutional culture (70% of participants), animal research (58%), general mental health (41%), and specific compassion fatigue support (24%). CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, these results show that professional quality of life is related to important operational metrics of job satisfaction and retention. Furthermore, compassion fatigue is impacted by factors beyond working with research animals, including institutional culture and general mental health support. Overall, this project provides rationale and insight for institutional support of compassion fatigue resiliency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Young
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- The 3Rs Collaborative, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | | | - Lisa Kelly
- University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Tara Martin
- Refinement and Enrichment Advancements Laboratory, Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sally Thompson-Iritani
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Office of Research, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
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Graham JC, Wong L, Adedeji AO, Kusi A, Lee B, Lee D, Dybdal N. Fostering Animal Welfare and Advancing 3Rs Principles through the Establishment of a 3Rs Advisory Group. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3863. [PMID: 38136900 PMCID: PMC10740783 DOI: 10.3390/ani13243863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on the current state of science, the use of animals remains essential in bringing safe and effective medicines to patients. Respect for laboratory animal welfare and the application of 3Rs principles (the replacement, reduction, and refinement of animal use in research) are a priority throughout the pharmaceutical industry. Given the rapid pace of development, technological progress, and the emergence of new-approach methodologies (NAMs) in the field of biomedical research, maintaining a leading position in scientific advancements with a focus on the principles of replace, reduce, and refine (3Rs) can be quite challenging. To effectively address these challenges and sustain a prominent position in the scientific community, organizations can derive significant advantages from establishing an internal 3Rs advisory group (3Rs AG). The primary objective of a 3Rs AG is to stay at the forefront of the knowledge of best practices related to the 3Rs principles in the industry. This group plays a crucial role in fostering innovation and facilitating the seamless integration and implementation of 3Rs principles into a company's policies and procedures. The thoughtful reduction in and replacement of animal studies and the refinement of study designs and practices, enabled by a 3Rs AG, can minimize animal use as well as guide resources and positively impact study and data quality. This article provides guidance on how to establish a successful and impactful 3Rs AG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica C. Graham
- Product Quality and Occupational Toxicology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Lisa Wong
- Non-Clinical Operations, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA; (L.W.); (A.K.)
| | - Adeyemi O. Adedeji
- Safety Assessment Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA; (A.O.A.); (B.L.); (N.D.)
| | - Aija Kusi
- Non-Clinical Operations, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA; (L.W.); (A.K.)
| | - Becky Lee
- Safety Assessment Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA; (A.O.A.); (B.L.); (N.D.)
| | - Donna Lee
- Safety Assessment Toxicology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA;
| | - Noel Dybdal
- Safety Assessment Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA; (A.O.A.); (B.L.); (N.D.)
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Rumpel S, Kempen R, Merle R, Thoene-Reineke C. Psychological stress and strain in laboratory animal professionals - a systematic review. Lab Anim 2023; 57:396-411. [PMID: 36691311 DOI: 10.1177/00236772221129111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Laboratory animal professionals (LAP) are faced with various situations and tasks influencing their mental well-being. A systematic review has been conducted to investigate whether there are specific stressors for LAP and which moderators are relevant for the development of psychological strain. A comprehensive search following PRISMA Guidelines was carried out in June 2021. Results include 12 studies and have been summarized qualitatively in narrative synthesis and tabular presentation. Available literature indicates that LAP are facing stressors but does not allow for conclusions on specific stressful job duties other than euthanasia.Signs of strain are present in LAP. Specifically, participants in qualitative studies reported acute symptoms, while chronic manifestations were in focus in quantitative studies. Although a wide variety of moderating factors have been investigated, only social support has been rated as relevant by multiple qualitative and quantitative studies without contrasting results.According to current data, there is a risk for psychological strain in LAP. However, there is limited understanding of specific stressors and data on moderators is diverse. Further studies that focus on domain-specific knowledge and clearly distinguish stressors from moderators are necessary to set up institutional programmes addressing psychological strain in LAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Rumpel
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behaviour and Laboratory Animal Science, Germany
| | - Regina Kempen
- Aalen University of Applied Sciences, Department of Business Psychology, Germany
| | - Roswitha Merle
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behaviour and Laboratory Animal Science, Germany
| | - Christa Thoene-Reineke
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behaviour and Laboratory Animal Science, Germany
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5
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Daly R, Hetherington K, Hazell E, Wadling BR, Tyrrell V, Tucker KM, Marshall GM, Ziegler DS, Lau LMS, Trahair TN, O'Brien TA, Collins K, Gifford AJ, Haber M, Pinese M, Malkin D, Cowley MJ, Karpelowsky J, Drew D, Jacobs C, Wakefield CE. Precision Medicine Is Changing the Roles of Healthcare Professionals, Scientists, and Research Staff: Learnings from a Childhood Cancer Precision Medicine Trial. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1033. [PMID: 37511646 PMCID: PMC10381580 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13071033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Precision medicine programs aim to utilize novel technologies to identify personalized treatments for children with cancer. Delivering these programs requires interdisciplinary efforts, yet the many groups involved are understudied. This study explored the experiences of a broad range of professionals delivering Australia's first precision medicine trial for children with poor-prognosis cancer: the PRecISion Medicine for Children with Cancer (PRISM) national clinical trial of the Zero Childhood Cancer Program. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 85 PRISM professionals from eight professional groups, including oncologists, surgeons, clinical research associates, scientists, genetic professionals, pathologists, animal care technicians, and nurses. We analyzed interviews thematically. Professionals shared that precision medicine can add complexity to their role and result in less certain outcomes for families. Although many participants described experiencing a greater emotional impact from their work, most expressed very positive views about the impact of precision medicine on their profession and its future potential. Most reported navigating precision medicine without formal training. Each group described unique challenges involved in adapting to precision medicine in their profession. Addressing training gaps and meeting the specific needs of many professional groups involved in precision medicine will be essential to ensure the successful implementation of standard care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Daly
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Kate Hetherington
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Emily Hazell
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
- Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Bethany R Wadling
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
- Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Vanessa Tyrrell
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Katherine M Tucker
- Hereditary Cancer Centre, Department of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Glenn M Marshall
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - David S Ziegler
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Loretta M S Lau
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Toby N Trahair
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Tracey A O'Brien
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Kiri Collins
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Andrew J Gifford
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Anatomical Pathology, NSW Health Pathology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Michelle Haber
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mark Pinese
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - David Malkin
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Mark J Cowley
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Kinghorn Centre for Clinical Genomics, Garvan Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Jonathan Karpelowsky
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Children's Cancer Research Unit, Kids Research Institute, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Division of Child and Adolescent Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Donna Drew
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Chris Jacobs
- Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Claire E Wakefield
- Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
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A Preliminary Assessment of Compassion Fatigue in Chimpanzee Caregivers. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12243506. [PMID: 36552426 PMCID: PMC9774637 DOI: 10.3390/ani12243506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Compassion fatigue is defined as "traumatization of helpers through their efforts at helping others". It has negative effects on clinicians including reduced satisfaction with work, fatigue, irritability, dread of going to work, and lack of joy in life. It is correlated with patients' decreased satisfaction with care. Compassion fatigue occurs in a variety of helping professions including educators, social workers, mental health clinicians, and it also appears in nonhuman animal care workers. This study surveyed caregivers of chimpanzees using the ProQOL-V to assess the prevalence of compassion fatigue among this group. Compassion satisfaction is higher than many other types of animal care workers. Conversely, this group shows moderate levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress; higher levels than other types of animal care workers and many medical professions. While compassion fatigue has an effect on the caregiver's experience, it has potential to affect animal welfare. Caregivers are an integral part of the chimpanzee social network. Compassion fatigue affects the caregiver's attitude, this could in turn affect the relationship and degrade the experience of care for captive chimpanzees. Compassion fatigue can be mitigated with professional development, mindfulness training, interrelationships among staff, and specialized training. This preliminary assessment indicates the work ahead is educating caregivers about compassion fatigue and implementing procedures in sanctuaries to mitigate burnout and secondary traumatic stress.
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7
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Tremoleda JL, Kerton A, Mazhary H, Greenhough B. New perspectives for teaching Culture of Care and their strengths and challenges. Lab Anim 2022; 57:170-181. [PMID: 36204973 PMCID: PMC10155276 DOI: 10.1177/00236772221127352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Nurturing a culture of care remains a key strategy and needs to be well integrated in the education programmes for laboratory animal professionals. Addressing attitudes is a complex task that must ensure reflective learning approaches. Teaching strategies must facilitate a safe space to talk openly about emotions and caring responsibilities. We reflect on two training initiatives focusing on culture of care. Firstly, the 'Care-full Stories' tool, which uses fictionalised prompts (storytelling) to encourage participants to share their own stories from working in animal research. Feedback on its impact on establishing a safe space for sharing experiences and the importance of appreciating diverse perspectives between staff is discussed. Secondly, we provide feedback on the development of training approaches on animal research integrity and culture of care with low- middle-income international communities. Strategic targets addressing the multicultural diversity of the communities, recognising their specific needs and their access to resources, must be well defined. It is important to acknowledge the interconnection between people, animals and their shared natural environment when defining the culture of care concept and addressing the teaching approaches. We discuss both the positive outcomes and challenges of these two learning experiences to support innovation when planning tools for teaching culture of care. Accounting for 'how' and 'where' the training will be delivered remains key to its successful uptake and local sustainability. Supporting improved educational tools to ascertain why caring has an impact on our professional lives will have a direct impact on the wellbeing of laboratory animal professionals worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi L Tremoleda
- Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine, UK.,Biological Services, Queen Mary University of London, UK
| | | | - Hibba Mazhary
- School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Beth Greenhough
- School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, UK
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King M, Zohny H. Animal researchers shoulder a psychological burden that animal ethics committees ought to address. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2022; 48:299-303. [PMID: 33789946 PMCID: PMC9046735 DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2020-106945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Animal ethics committees (AECs) typically focus on the welfare of animals used in experiments, neglecting the potential welfare impact of that animal use on the animal laboratory personnel. Some of this work, particularly the killing of animals, can impose significant psychological burdens that can diminish the well-being of laboratory animal personnel, as well as their capacity to care for animals. We propose that AECs, which regulate animal research in part on the basis of reducing harm, can and ought to require that these harms to researchers are reduced as well. The paper starts by presenting evidence of these burdens and their harm, giving some examples showing how they may be mitigated. We then argue that AECs are well placed to account for these harms to personnel and ought to use their power to reduce their occurrence. We conclude by responding to four potential objections: (1) that this problem should be addressed through health and safety administration, not research ethics administration; (2) that the proposal is unjustifiably paternalistic; (3) that these harms to laboratory animal personnel ought to occur, given their treatment of animals; and (4) that mitigating them may lead to worse treatment of research animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike King
- Bioethics Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Hazem Zohny
- Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Professional Quality of Life in Research Involving Laboratory Animals. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11092639. [PMID: 34573605 PMCID: PMC8465412 DOI: 10.3390/ani11092639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Many workers contribute to the success of animal welfare and study outcomes in biomedical research. However, the professional quality of life (ProQoL) of those who work with laboratory animals has not been explored in Spain. To this end, we adapted the ProQoL scale to the Spanish population working with laboratory animals. Participants were contacted by email and asked to complete an anonymous on-line questionnaire. The study comprised a total of 498 participants, 12.4% welfare officers/veterinarians, 19.5% caretaker/technicians, 13.9% principal investigators, 20.7% investigators, 13.6% research technicians, and 19.9% PhD students. The adapted scale revealed very good reliability and internal validity, providing information about two different subscales, compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Animal-facility personnel showed higher total ProQoL and compassion-satisfaction scores than researchers; PhD students showed the lowest scores. Thus, our results indicate that job category is a contributing factor in perceived professional quality of life. We observed that compassion satisfaction is negatively associated with the perceived animal stress/pain. Participants reporting poorer compassion satisfaction also reported lower social-support scores. Overall, our ProQoL scale is a useful tool for analyzing the professional quality of life in the Spanish population, and may help to design future interventions to improve workplace wellbeing in Spain and other Spanish-speaking populations.
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Goñi-Balentziaga O, Ortega-Saez I, Vila S, Azkona G. Working with laboratory rodents in Spain: a survey on welfare and wellbeing. Lab Anim Res 2021; 37:18. [PMID: 34315536 PMCID: PMC8314439 DOI: 10.1186/s42826-021-00098-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Replacement, reduction and refinement, the 3R principles, provide a framework to minimize the use and suffering of animals in science. In this context, we aimed to determine the actual perception that individuals working with laboratory rodents in biomedical research have on animal welfare and on their interaction with the animals, as well as how they perceive its impact on their social relations. To this end, we designed an anonymous on-line survey for people working with rodents, at three responsibility levels, in Spain. Results Of the 356 participants, 239 were women (67 %); 263 were researchers (74 %), and 93 animal facility staff (26 %), of which 55 were caretakers/technicians (15 %), and 38 welfare officer/veterinarians (11 %). Animal facility staff indicated environmental enrichment to be a universal practice. About half of the participants reported that, in their opinion, animals suffer “little to none” or “minor” stress and pain. Animal caretakers/technicians and researchers perceived higher levels of stress and pain than welfare officers/veterinarians. Participants judged decapitation the most unpleasant method to kill rodents, whereas anaesthetic overdose was the least one. A sizable proportion − 21 % of animal caretakers/technicians and 11.4 % of researchers - stated that they were never given the choice not to euthanize the rodents they work with. Overall, women reported higher interactions with animals than men. Nevertheless, we could detect a significant correlation between time spent with the animals and interaction scores. Notably, 80 % of animal facility staff and 92 % of researchers rarely talked about their work with laboratory rodents with people outside their inner social circle. Conclusions Overall, the participants showed high awareness and sensitivity to rodent wellbeing; animal facility staff reported a similar perception on welfare questions, independently of their category, while researchers, who spent less time with the animals, showed less awareness and manifested lower human-animal interaction and less social support. Regarding the perception on social acceptance of laboratory animal work, all groups were cautious and rarely talked about their job, suggesting that it is considered a sensitive issue in Spain. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42826-021-00098-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olatz Goñi-Balentziaga
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology and Research Methodology, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Donostia, Spain
| | - Iván Ortega-Saez
- Scientific and Technological Centers (CCIT), University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergi Vila
- Scientific and Technological Centers (CCIT), University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Garikoitz Azkona
- Department of Basic Psychological Processes and their Development, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Donostia, Spain.
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11
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Sarah K, Oceane S, Emily F, Carole F. Learning from lockdown - Assessing the positive and negative experiences, and coping strategies of researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021; 236:105269. [PMID: 36540095 PMCID: PMC9755055 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
With the disruption of nonessential research due to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers faced unexpected changes in their work and personal life. We assessed what challenges researchers encountered during lockdown and whether gender, career level, discipline, and job-permanency influenced their experiences (negative and positive), thereby collecting empirical material which could provide valuable information for future mentoring/supporting practices. Data were collected between July-August 2020 via an online-survey, and answers from 210 respondents (78% female, 21% male, 1% non-disclosed gender) working in Animal Behaviour and Welfare (ABW, 57%), other biological sciences (37%) or social sciences (6%) were analysed. Respondents were post-graduate students (35%), research associates (35%), and professors (22%) or classified as 'other' (8%), and overall fixed-term (55%) and permanent (45%) jobholders. We expected that early career researchers, non-permanent jobholders, and female respondents would report more challenges/less positive experiences during lockdown. Due to the widespread impact of the pandemic, we predicted no effect of academic disciplines. We found great inter-individual difference in the experiences reported by the respondents, with some reporting adaptation to a new routine within a week (31% of the respondents) and/or greater efficiency working from home (19%) while others felt less efficient working from home and/or experienced a greater imbalance towards work (30%) and/or increased personal responsibilities (24%). The most commonly reported challenges were the lack of informal contact with colleagues (63%), a loss of focus due to worry or stress (53%) and/or unsuitable working environments (47%). Postgraduate students, research associates, non-permanent jobholders and ABW researchers reported more work-related challenges (p = from 0.03 to <0.0001) and were more likely to worry about the future (p = from 0.0002 to <0.0001) than other career levels, permanent jobholders, and researchers from other disciplines respectively. We found no gender effect (p = from 0.006 [NS due to Benjamini-Liu correction for multiple comparisons, 24 metrics tested] to 1.000), except that female respondents reported more personal changes affecting their ability to work than male respondents (p = 0.037). On a positive note, most respondents (83%) perceived positive changes during lockdown and 60% reported one or more coping strategies during lockdown, with exercising/outdoor activities and interacting with family/friends most commonly reported. Based on our findings, we provide recommendations for overcoming the reported Covid-19-related challenges which could further deliver valuable guidance for supporting/mentoring schemes and activities fostering a more resilient research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kappel Sarah
- University of Plymouth, School of Biological and Marine Science, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Schmitt Oceane
- University of Bristol, Bristol Veterinary School, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Finnegan Emily
- University of Bristol, Bristol Veterinary School, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Fureix Carole
- University of Plymouth, School of Biological and Marine Science, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
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