Occupational burnout and job satisfaction among physicians in times of COVID-19 crisis: a convergent parallel mixed-method study

BMC Public Health

Luai Abu-Ismail¹  Mohamed Elkholy²  Ala’a B. Al-Tammemi³  Mohammad Abusamak⁴  Fawaz Al Sarireh⁵  Wedad Al-Dolat⁶  Ali Al-Far⁷  Imene Ghoul⁸  Ashraf Al-Tamimi⁹  Mohammad Kh. Alzawahreh^1,10  Nafisa M. K. Elehamer^1,11  Ahmad Malkawi^1,12  Hamzeh Mohammad Alrawashdeh^1,13 

[1] Department of Clinical Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan;Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden;Department of Family and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary;Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary;Department of General and Special Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Al Balqa Applied University, Salt, Jordan;Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan;Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan;Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Jordan Hospital, Amman, Jordan;Department of Pediatrics, Ibn Al Haytham Hospital, Amman, Jordan;Department of Radiology, King Hussein Hospital, Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Amman, Jordan;Department of Special Surgery, Division of Urology, Al Bashir Hospital, Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan;Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary;Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary;Faculty of Public and Environmental Health, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan;School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands;Sharif Eye Centers, Irbid, Jordan;

关键词: COVID-19 pandemic;    Physicians;    Occupational burnout;    Job satisfaction;    Jordan;    Psychological distress;    Physical burden;    Mixed-method;    Convergent parallel;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-021-10897-4

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundHealthcare professionals including physicians were subjected to an increased workload during the COVID-19 crisis, leaving them exposed to significant physical and psychological distress. Therefore, our present study aimed to (i) assess the prevalence of burnout and levels of job satisfaction among physicians in Jordan, and (ii) explore physicians’ opinions, experiences, and perceptions during the pandemic crisis.MethodsThis was a mixed-method study that utilized a structured web-based questionnaire and semi-structured individual interviews. The 10-Item Burnout Measure-Short version (BMS), and the 5-Item Short Index of Job Satisfaction (SIJS) were adopted to assess occupational burnout and job satisfaction, respectively. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, based on a conceptual framework that was developed from Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation and Job Demands-Resources Model. Descriptive statistics and regression models, as well as inductive thematic analysis, were used to analyze quantitative and qualitative data, respectively.ResultsA total of 973 survey responses and 11 interviews were included in our analysis. The prevalence of burnout among physicians was (57.7%). Several significant factors were positively associated with burnout, including female gender, working at highly loaded hospitals, working for long hours, doing night shifts, lack of sufficient access to personal protective equipment, and being positively tested for SARS-CoV-2. Regarding job satisfaction, regression analysis revealed that age was positively associated with higher levels of job satisfaction. On contrary, being a general practitioner or specialist, working at highly loaded hospitals, low salaries, and suffering from burnout have predicted lower levels of job satisfaction.Besides, four themes have emerged from the thematic analysis: (i) Work-induced psychological distress during the pandemic, (ii) Decision-driven satisfactory and dissatisfactory experiences, (iii) Impact of the pandemic on doctor-patient communication and professional skills, and (iv) Economic impacts of the pandemic crisis and lockdown.ConclusionA significant physical and psychological burden was associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Reliable efforts should be implemented aiming at protecting physicians’ physical and mental wellbeing, enhancing their working conditions, and raising awareness about burnout. Evidence-based decisions and proper utilization of financial and human resources at institutional and national levels are believed to be crucial for the sustainability of the health workforce, especially in crises.

【 授权许可】

CC BY