Purpose
Several studies investigated prevalence and determinants of physicians’ burnout during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, but only a few during the chronic phase of the pandemic. This study thus aimed to examine this topic referring to the “post-COVID-19 era”, defined as a chronic and likely-to-be endemic status quo.
Methods
A cross-sectional, online survey (November 2021–January 2022) was addressed to physicians in Lombardia (Northern Italy). Besides socio-demographic and COVID-19-related data, measures of personal, work- and patient-related burnout (Copenhagen Burnout Inventory; CBI), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-8), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7), and self-efficacy (General Self-Efficacy Scale) were collected. Linear/generalized linear models were run to test associations/predictions of interest.
Results
Among the 958 respondents, burnout symptoms were clinically significant in 18.5% of them. Predictive models showed that female sex (OR = 0.73, 95% CI 0.42–1.27), younger age (OR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.59–1.48), shorter job tenure (OR = 1.01, 95% CI 0.62–1.65), trainee status (OR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.16–7.10), higher PHQ-8 (OR = 1.260, 95% CI 1.16–1.37), and GAD-7 scores (OR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.10–1.30) increased the risk to suffer from clinical burnout. COVID-19-related variables were mostly not related/associated to burnout levels.
Conclusion
In Italy, physicians’ burnout is moderately prevalent also in the chronic phase of the pandemic, with its determinants being more intrinsic than environmental. The development of effective interventions is needed to help physicians cope with the new challenges of their job.
Starting from the insights of social identity theory and social exchange theory, the present study aimed to understand how social support and organizational identification relate to work engagement. Moreover, it sought to verify if social support and organizational identification interact with each other to explain work engagement three months later. A longitudinal study was conducted on a sample of 150 employees, in which organizational identification, social support, and work engagement were measured through a questionnaire. The results show that when employees can count on their supervisors’ and colleagues’ support, they will be more engaged in their work. In addition, when an employee strongly identifies with their organization, the employee’s evaluation of the social support received from colleagues and supervisors becomes less critical in determining their work engagement. These results confirm our hypotheses and extend the findings of previous research on withdrawal behaviors. From a practical point of view, it seems important for organizations to invest in increasing identification, as well as in building a high-quality social exchange relationship, especially when levels of organizational identification are low or decreasing.
Purpose
This research investigates risk and protective factors affecting physicians’ turnover intention during the post–COVID-19 era.
Design/Methodology/Approach
A cross-sectional online survey study of 958 physicians working in Lombardy (Northern Italy) hospitals was conducted.
Findings
In the post–COVID-19 era, burnout significantly increases physicians’ turnover intention. The same is true for fear of being infected by COVID-19 (FIC), which indirectly affects turnover intention via burnout. The higher FIC and burnout, the higher intention to leave the job or working unity. Self-efficacy significantly decreases turnover intention by reducing FIC and burnout.
Originality/Value
Implementing turnover preventive programs in healthcare professionals is essential, mainly reducing BO and promoting physicians’ personal resources, such as self-efficacy.
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