Burnout among Catalan family doctors. A three times cross-sectional study, during and after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Maria Miñana Castellanos, Maria Teresa Santos E Silva Caldeira Marques, María Isabel Fernández San Martín, María Rodríguez Barragan, Enric Aragonés Benaiges, Antoni Sisó, Josep Basora Gallisà

Keywords: Burnout, Primary health care, SARS-CoV-2

Background:

Several studies show a high impact on workers’ mental health and burnout during the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, but there’s a dearth of studies assessing the current situation after the end of this pandemic.

Research questions:

To assess the levels of burnout in Family doctors in Catalonia, in three different times: two during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the last one after the WHO declared the end of COVID-19 as a health emergency.

Method:

Cross-sectional study involving members of a general practitioners' Catalan Society. A self-administered survey was sent via institutional e-mail. 499 doctors answered the survey between June-July 2021 (S1), 454 answered in March-April 2022 (S2) and 386 answered May-June 2023 (S3). Probable burnout was assessed through Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) test, which has three independent dimensions: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and personal achievement (PA). Demographic variables were also assessed. A descriptive analysis was performed, as well as a comparison between S1, S2 and S3 results with statistical tests and 95% confidence intervals.

Results:

Samples are similar in regards of gender (79% female), age (47 years old) and years in the same workplace (12 years). Regarding MBI dimensions, high level of EE was 67,5% in S1, with a statistically significant decrease in S2 and S3 (56,4% and 58,1% respectively); high levels of DP were 42,7% (S1), 37,0% (S2) and 36,7% (S3); low levels of PA were 29,9% (S1), 30,4% (S2) and 24,2% (S3). Gender (female) and age (younger) was significantly related to higher levels of EE. Working in rural areas was related to lower levels of DP.

Conclusions:

High prevalence of burnout is consistent during the three periods, with a slight decrease in S2 and S3. Half of our participants have been suffering from high levels of emotional exhaustion for more than a year.

Points for discussion:

Healthcare workers' mental health status

Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on primary care practice

Which interventions can be performed to decrease burnout in healthcare workers?

#45