Journal Article

Prevalence and the associated factors of burnout among the critical healthcare professionals during the post-pandemic era: a multi-institutional survey in Taiwan with a systematic review of the Asian literatures

Li, Xiu-Wei, Lin, Yu-Chen, Dai, Jhih-Wei, Chiang, Min-Ying, Chen, Po-Ting, Lee, Yueh-Lin, Wang, Chien-Ho

2024

Overview

Background & Aims Burnout is a global concern, and critical healthcare professionals have been identified as a high-risk population of burnout. Early identification is crucial, but the prevalence of burnout and its risk factors demonstrate significant geographical variations. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of burnout among critical healthcare professionals and explore potential risk factors during the post-pandemic era in Taiwan. Methods A web-based questionnaire survey was conducted from December 1, 2023, to January 31, 2024, targeting critical healthcare professionals employed in selected medical institutions affiliated with the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Foundation, one of Taiwan’s largest healthcare organizations. Demographic information, the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), current work stressors and self-reported general health data were collected. The study utilized the Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel (MBI-MP). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were employed to investigate the association between risk factors and each burnout subscales. A systematic review of Asian literature concerning burnout among critical care practitioners was also conducted. Results In our study, 254 participants were enrolled, with an overall burnout rate of 35.4%. The prevalence of high emotional exhaustion (EE) was 70.9%, high depersonalization (DP) was 56.3%, and low personal accomplishment (PA) was 60.6%. Young, unmarried populations, individuals with limited work experience, longer working hours, and night shifts are potential vulnerable groups susceptible to burnout. The top three stressors identified were excessive workload, the burden of administrative tasks, and a shortage of vacation time. Our systematic review included 20 Asian studies on the same issue, with variable burnout prevalence ranging from 16.3 to 82.1%. Conclusion The prevalence of burnout was high among critical healthcare professionals in post-pandemic Taiwan, particularly affecting younger, unmarried populations and individuals with limited work experience, longer hours, and more night shifts. The influence of pandemic-related factors has decreased. Regional variations in burnout have been observed across Asia, highlighting the need for further research to identify local risk factors and protect the well-being of professionals and healthcare quality.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adult / Analysis / At risk populations / Biostatistics / Burn out (Psychology) / Burnout / Burnout, Professional - epidemiology / Child & adolescent mental health / Confidentiality / Consent / COVID-19 / COVID-19 - epidemiology / COVID-19 - psychology / Critical Care - psychology / Critical Care - statistics & numerical data / Critical healthcare professionals / Emergency medical care / Environmental Health / Epidemics / Epidemiology / Female / Geographical variations / Happiness / Health aspects / Health care / Health care facilities / Health Personnel - psychology / Health Personnel - statistics & numerical data / Hospitals / Humans / Intensive care / Male / Medical personnel / Medical research / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Mental health in the workplace / Mental wellbeing / Middle Aged / Night shifts / Nighttime / Occupational burnout / Pandemics / Personal health / Population studies / Populations / Post traumatic stress disorder / Post-COVID-19 era / Prevalence / Prevalence studies (Epidemiology) / Prevention / Professional ethics / Professionals / Psychological aspects / Public Health / Questionnaires / Regression analysis / Risk Factors / Social aspects / Surveys / Surveys and Questionnaires / Taiwan / Taiwan - epidemiology / Vaccine / Variance analysis / Working conditions / Working hours / Workload