Burnout among healthcare professionals during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence of burnout among healthcare professionals dealing with COVID-19 patients and the associated factors. METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey, healthcare workers at six university-affiliated hospitals, who had been taking care of COVID-19 patients were studied. Age, gender, marital status, having children, hospital, job category, experience, and work load, as well as the level of burnout in each subscale were measured. RESULTS: 326 persons (53.0%) experienced high levels of burnout. The average score in emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and lack of personal accomplishment was 26.6, 10.2, and 27.3, respectively. The level of burnout in the three subscales varied based on the personal as well as work-related factors and gender was the only variable that was associated with high levels of all three domains. CONCLUSIONS: Burnout is prevalent among healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients. Age, gender, job category, and site of practice contribute to the level of burnout that the staff experience.