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Burnout in Medical Staffs During a Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic

28 Pages Posted: 9 Jun 2020

See all articles by Chih-Wei Sung

Chih-Wei Sung

National Taiwan University - Department of Emergency Medicine

Chi-Hsin Chen

National Taiwan University - Department of Emergency Medicine

Cheng-Yi Fan

National Taiwan University - Department of Emergency Medicine

Fang-Ying Su

National Taiwan University - National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH)

Jia-How Chang

National Taiwan University - Department of Emergency Medicine

Chia-Chun Hung

Ministry of Health and Welfare (Taiwan) - Bali Psychiatric Center

Chia-Ming Fu

National Taiwan University - Department of Emergency Medicine

Liping Wong

University of Malaya (UM) - Faculty of Medicine

Edward Pei-Chuan Huang

National Taiwan University - Department of Emergency Medicine

Tony Szu-Hsien Lee

National Taiwan Normal University - Department of Health Promotion and Health Education

More...

Abstract

Background: In a pandemic outbreak of infectious disease, the mental and physical burdens of health care providers increase with time. Their burnout can lead to treatment errors, medical malpractice suits, patient mortality, and elevated suicidal ideation and substance abuse in medical staffs. In this study we investigated burnout, anxiety symptoms, acute stress disorder, and health literacy and promotion among health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A cross-sectional population survey using an online questionnaire commenced on 13 March 2020. The respondents were health care providers in Taiwan.

Findings: Of the 1,795 respondents, 40.3% reported burnout, 15.8% had previous experience dealing with SARS or MERS, and 37.3% cared for strongly suspected COVID-19 patients. The mean total score on the STAI was 55.3±2.4. The numbers of respondents with mild, moderate, and severe levels of anxiety were 185 (10.3%), 209 (11.6%), and 1401 (78.1%) respectively. The mean CESD-10 score was 9.5±6.3, and 817 respondents (45.5%) were classified as depressive. The factors associated with burnout were working in the ACC (acute and critical care) division (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.84, 95% CI=1.20–3.39, p=0.019), taking care of suspicious or confirmed COVID-19 cases (aOR=3.90, 95% CI=1.14–13.37, p=0.031), and depressive disorder (aOR=9.44, 95% CI=7.44–11.97, p<0.001).

Interpretation: Physicians and nurses are vulnerable to burnout during a COVID-19 pandemic, especially those working in the ACC division. Depressive disorder, anxiety, caring patients with COVID-19, and engaging in precautionary prevention and health promotion may be factors in burnout among healthcare workers.

Funding Statement: The study was partially subsidized by the National Taiwan Normal University (202003HS002).

Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethics Approval Statement: The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the National Taiwan Normal University (no. 202003HS002).

Keywords: COVID-19; burnout; medical staffs; mental health; pandemic

Suggested Citation

Sung, Chih-Wei and Chen, Chi-Hsin and Fan, Cheng-Yi and Su, Fang-Ying and Chang, Jia-How and Hung, Chia-Chun and Fu, Chia-Ming and Wong, Liping and Pei-Chuan Huang, Edward and Lee, Tony Szu-Hsien, Burnout in Medical Staffs During a Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic (May 1, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3594567 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3594567

Chih-Wei Sung

National Taiwan University - Department of Emergency Medicine

Number 7, Chung-Shan South Road
Taipei 100
Taiwan

Chi-Hsin Chen

National Taiwan University - Department of Emergency Medicine

Number 7, Chung-Shan South Road
Taipei 100
Taiwan

Cheng-Yi Fan

National Taiwan University - Department of Emergency Medicine

Number 7, Chung-Shan South Road
Taipei 100
Taiwan

Fang-Ying Su

National Taiwan University - National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH)

Taipei, 10048
Taiwan

Jia-How Chang

National Taiwan University - Department of Emergency Medicine

Number 7, Chung-Shan South Road
Taipei 100
Taiwan

Chia-Chun Hung

Ministry of Health and Welfare (Taiwan) - Bali Psychiatric Center

United States

Chia-Ming Fu

National Taiwan University - Department of Emergency Medicine

Number 7, Chung-Shan South Road
Taipei 100
Taiwan

Liping Wong

University of Malaya (UM) - Faculty of Medicine

Kuala Lumpur, 50603
Malaysia

Edward Pei-Chuan Huang

National Taiwan University - Department of Emergency Medicine

Number 7, Chung-Shan South Road
Taipei 100
Taiwan

Tony Szu-Hsien Lee (Contact Author)

National Taiwan Normal University - Department of Health Promotion and Health Education ( email )

Taiwan

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