Subjective COVID-19-related work factors predict stress, burnout, and depression among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic but not objective factors

Spányik, A, Simon, D, Rigó, A, Griffiths, MD ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8880-6524 and Demetrovics, Z, 2022. Subjective COVID-19-related work factors predict stress, burnout, and depression among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic but not objective factors. PLOS ONE, 17 (8): e0270156. ISSN 1932-6203

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Abstract

Background: Work-related stress is significantly higher among healthcare workers (HCWs) than in the general population. Elevated occupational stress has been linked to burnout syndrome and depression. Moreover, medical professionals working during infectious disease outbreaks are at especially high risk for these problems. The aim of the present study was to examine the mental health status of HCWs and possible predictors of mental health status related to the COVID-19 outbreak utilizing a complex comprehensive model.

Methods: In a countrywide cross-sectional survey among HCWs (N = 2087), work-related stress, COVID-19 -related objective work factors (displacement, frontline working) and subjective work factors (insecurity, unpredictability, workload), perceived stress, work-related stress, burnout and depression were assessed between the second and third wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary.

Results: COVID-19-related objective factors did not predict directly stress, burnout, and depression, whereas feelings of insecurity and unpredictability in relation to the COVID-19 situation at work had a significant medium-sized total effect (also considering the indirect effect via stress) on burnout and depression.

Conclusions: In order to prevent subsequent mental health problems during crisis situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare management should create a more predictable work environment and a safer work experience for healthcare workers and provide mental health support.

Item Type: Journal article
Publication Title: PLOS ONE
Creators: Spányik, A., Simon, D., Rigó, A., Griffiths, M.D. and Demetrovics, Z.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 12 August 2022
Volume: 17
Number: 8
ISSN: 1932-6203
Identifiers:
Number
Type
10.1371/journal.pone.0270156
DOI
1591108
Other
Rights: © 2022 Spányik et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Divisions: Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by: Laura Ward
Date Added: 16 Aug 2022 08:12
Last Modified: 16 Aug 2022 08:12
URI: https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/46881

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