Novel coronavirus pandemic and burnout of healthcare workers
Andrey V. Melentev, С. А. Бабанов, N. А. Ostryakova, A. Agarkova
Abstract
Introduction. The novel coronavirus pandemic has a serious impact on the psychological health of healthcare workers. The purpose of the study is to investigate the syndrome of emotional burnout among medical workers. Materials and methods. Groups of medical workers in COVID hospitals (n=201), groups of medical workers in multidisciplinary hospitals (n=195), groups of outpatient medical workers (n=186), as well as a control group (n=190) were studied. Results. According to the Maslach Burnout test, group of medical workers of COVID-hospitals; a group of medical workers of the outpatient level a group of medical workers of multidisciplinary hospitals who provide medical care in their main profile have a significant increase in the indicators of “exhaustion” and “depersonalization” and a significant decrease in the indicator “reduction of personal achievements” compared with the control group. Medical workers of COVID-hospitals have significantly higher indicators of “emotional exhaustion” and “depersonalization” compared to medical workers of multidisciplinary hospitals (p≤0.001) and medical workers of outpatient clinics (p≤0.001). Medical workers in COVID hospitals have a significantly lower indicator of “reduction in personal achievements” compared to medical workers in general hospitals and outpatient clinics (p≤0.001). Limitations. As limitations, the following were identified: assessment of the dynamics of the burnout syndrome in future employees of COVID-hospitals, outpatient clinics and inpatients in the course of increasing seniority rises; assessment of the dynamics of the burnout syndrome in future specialists of COVID hospitals, outpatient clinics and hospitals, depending on the ongoing psychological and pharmacological correction. Conclusions. A comparative assessment revealed medical workers in COVID hospitals to have significantly higher rates of “emotional exhaustion”, “depersonalization” and lower values of the indicator “reduction of personal achievements”, compared with medical workers of multidisciplinary hospitals and outpatient clinics.