Burnout Among Chinese Anesthesiologists After the COVID-19 Pandemic Peak: A National Survey.

BACKGROUND

Evidence has shown that large-scale pandemics can have prolonged psychological impacts on health care professionals. The current study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of burnout after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic peak and to explore the prolonged impact of COVID-19 on burnout among Chinese anesthesiologists.

METHODS

From August 2021 to October 2021, a nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey. Basic demographic information, exposure to COVID-19, and perceived institutional support were documented. Validated tools measuring mental health status, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and resilience, were also used to provide additional information on psychological distress.

RESULTS

Of the 8850 anesthesiologists from the 218 institutions who were invited to participate, 6331 (74.93%) completed the surveys and were included in the analysis. A total of 52.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 51.5-53.9) met the criteria for burnout. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD were positively associated with burnout. After pooled multivariate analysis adjusting for potential confounding factors, among the COVID-19 exposure parameters, redeployment outside normal professional boundaries remained associated with an increased risk of burnout (odds ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.72-0.92; P = .039). Higher perceived institutional support and resilience could act as protective factors against burnout.

CONCLUSIONS

The impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the psychological well-being of anesthesiologists still exists more than 1 year after the outbreak. Building better institutional support and cultivating stronger resilience may be helpful future intervention measures.