Research on the influencing factors of fatigue and professional identity among CDC workers in China: an online cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the status quo and the influencing factors of fatigue and professional identity among the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) workers in China during the pandemic. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design. SETTING: CDC workers employed by the Liaoning CDC system were enrolled (administrative staffs were excluded). PARTICIPANTS: 1020 CDC workers. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Fatigue scores and professional identity scores. SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Postcompetency scores, respect scores, occupational stress scores, resilience scores and self-efficacy scores. RESULTS: The average scores of fatigue and professional identity were 8.23, 38.88, respectively. Factors including perceived public respect (β=−0.129, p<0.01), resilience (β=−0.104, p<0.05) and self-efficacy (β=−0.22, p<0.01) were negatively associated with fatigue. Educational background (bachelor vs junior college or below) (β=0.105, p<0.01), (master or above vs junior college or below) (β=0.092, p<0.05), workplace (county vs district) (β=0.067, p<0.05), (city vs district) (β=0.085, p<0.05), fighting the COVID-19 on the front line (β=0.059, p<0.05) and occupational stress (β=0.166, p<0.01) were positively correlated with fatigue. Educational background (bachelor vs junior college or below) (β=−0.097, p<0.01), (master or above vs junior college or below) (β=−0.114, p<0.01), workplace (city vs district) (β=−0.114, p<0.01), fighting the COVID-19 on the front line (β=−0.047, p<0.05) and occupational stress (β=−0.105, p<0.01) were negatively associated with professional identity. Factors including postcompetency (β=0.362, p<0.01), perceived public respect (general vs low) (β=0.219, p<0.01), (high vs low) (β=0.288, p<0.01), resilience (β=0.097, p<0.05) and self-efficacy (β=0.113, p<0.01) were positively connected with professional identity. CONCLUSION: The fatigue among the CDC workers was at a higher level. The level of professional identity was high, and administrators should take measures to alleviate fatigue and maintain professional identity. In addition, methods aiming to attenuate occupational stress, and improve resilience and self-efficacy should be immediately put into action.