Health Workers' Burnout and COVID-19 Pandemic: 1-Year after-Results from a Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jun 8;20(12):6087. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20126087.

Abstract

(1) Background: This study evaluates, one year later, the levels of burnout, anxious-depressive, and post-traumatic symptoms and the general health status in the Health Workers (HWs) involved in the SARS-COVID-19 pandemic in the Novara area. (2) Methods: The survey was sent via a link in an email to doctors, nurses, and other operators during the period between June and August 2021. The survey collected socio-demographic data and contained some self-administered questionnaires. (3) Results: A total of 688 HWs completed the survey, 53% were aged 30-49 years, 68% were female, 76% were cohabiting, 55% had children, 86% reported family habit changes, and 20% had non-COVID related health problems. Only a few of the respondents had a follow-up by a specialist (12%), of which there were even less in recent times (6%). It was observed that the respondents had undergone burnout; a poor state of general mental health (62%); depressive symptoms (70%); post-traumatic symptoms (29%); and less frequently, anxious symptoms (16%). The data of this study are in line with other studies in the literature. (4) Conclusions: The data indicate that psychological-based suffering was no longer markedly concentrated in some specific bands of HWs. In conclusion, it would be essential to enhance HW support strategies.

Keywords: COVID-19; burnout; cross-sectional; follow-up; health-worker.

MeSH terms

  • Burnout, Professional* / epidemiology
  • Burnout, Psychological
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Health Personnel
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pandemics
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.