Seyed Alireza Haji Seyed Javadi; Bahare Rezaei; Ali Akbar Shafikhani; Mohammad Ebrahim Sarichloo
Volume 23, Issue 12 , 2021
Abstract
Background: The Covid-19 pandemic has put unprecedented pressure on the medical staff, leading to mental disorders and burnout. Objectives: The present study aimed to compare burnout and other aspects of mental health in medical staff working in Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 wards.
Methods: This cross-sectional ...
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Background: The Covid-19 pandemic has put unprecedented pressure on the medical staff, leading to mental disorders and burnout. Objectives: The present study aimed to compare burnout and other aspects of mental health in medical staff working in Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 wards.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Social Determinants of Health Research Center of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences from 10 December 2020 to 16 April 2021. A total of 384 respondents (187 cases in Covid-19 wards and 197 subjects in non- Covid-19 wards) were selected via the convenience sample method. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) were distributed to all participants online. Moreover, sociodemographic data and occupational conditions were collected and analyzed using appropriate statistical methods.
Results: Based on the results, medical staff working in Covid-19 wards had significantly higher GHQ scores, compared to those in non-Covid-19 wards (29.82±11.07 vs. 25.76±11.83; P<.001, respectively). The risk factors associated with high scores in GHQ subscales included more shifts, being a nurse and being a physician (P<0.05). In terms of burnout subscales, the medical staff working in Covid-19 wards had significantly higher depersonalization and emotional exhaustion, as well as lower individual performance (P<0.05). The risk factors associated with burnout subscales included the female gender, being a nurse, being a physician, having children, confirmed Covid-19 infection, and staff relocation during the Covid-19 pandemic (P<0.05).
Conclusion: As evidenced by the results of the present study, individual variables, along with the prevalence of Covid-19, can affect the psychological consequences of medical staff and be considered a risk factor for each of them.
